


The Perceptive Badger

by Beloved_bird



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Grandma Relationship, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Andromeda and Ted are Harry’s guardians, Blind Character, Blind Harry Potter, Blind Prophet, Blind!Harry, Blind!Harry Potter, Blindness, Carlyle is a squib, Carlyle is my OC, Child Abuse, Disability, Dora and Charlie are friends, Dumbledore Dies, F/F, F/M, Genius Harry, Genius Harry Potter, Good Kreacher, Harry Potter is Blind, Harry Potter is a prophet, Harry Tonks, Harry and Charlie are friends, Harry is blind, House elf love, Hufflepuff Harry Potter, Hufflepuff Pride, Hufflepuff!Harry, Hufflepuff!Neville, Im trying to help y’all with these tags. Let me know if they’re unhelpful or you have a suggestion, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kreacher is Harry’s Savior, Kreacher is awesome, M/M, Nymphadora Tonks Lives, Out of Character, Ravenclaw Percy Weasley, Ravenclaw!Percy Weasley, Seer Harry Potter, Seer!Harry Potter, Smart Harry Potter, Squibs, Ted Tonks Lives, We love Kreacher in this story, Young Harry, babblesworth, nonsensical names for Weasley Twin products, scribblescrabble, seer!Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-03-21 19:35:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 40,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13747818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beloved_bird/pseuds/Beloved_bird
Summary: Kreacher has a special bond with the Black heir. What happens when he's abused? Who will Kreacher turn to? Is the damage too great?orBefore the abuse can get too bad Harry is adopted by the Tonks family. He gains a new big sister, a snarky house elf, two parents, and much more. What happens over the course of him growing up? How will he continue to relate to his much older sister? And how will his unique "disability" affect his magic? Not to mention his interactions with a squib, a horse, and a herd of thestrals...





	1. Backstory

**Author's Note:**

> I will be finishing this at some point. It just struck me. It's not at the top of my list, I wanted to share it anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 3rd Year  
> Dora- 1st Year  
> Charlie- 1st Year

On July 31st, 1980 Kreacher was informed of the heir to the Black fortune, one half-blood Harry Potter. When his master, Sirius Black, told him not to bother the young boy he had no problem heeding his order.

Days and days went by, the blood traitor Sirius Black despised him and insulted him and sometimes Kreacher wished to be freed, for any fate could be better than this.

But then, Master Sirius was convicted of murder. Kreacher hated Master Sirius, but he was also a house elf, and when house elves are left with nothing to do, they get rather cranky.

Now house elves are special. They share a bond with all of their charges, but the strongest bond is to the current lord and master. Because Sirius was in jail, he was no longer the lord of Black. So, Kreacher could literally feel the sorrow coming off his young charge.

Since Sirius was no longer his master, he was able to go to the young boy.

“Hullo?” a high voice rang out in the dark.

“Master Potter.” Kreacher greeted, but the young master wept harder.

Now many people thought Kreacher hated everyone, but he’d taken care of a lot of young charges in his day. None as emotional as the current Black heir, but still.

So Kreacher reached out in the darkness of a small space, the floor was scratchy and hard and there was only a tiny bit of light coming from a grate on the door. He pulled the young master into his chest. “There, there. It will be being alright young master.”

oOo

Harry was young, he didn’t really know what went on. But he did know that one day he was with his mum and dad, he could see their love shining from their faces, and the next day all of that was gone.

He remembered bits and pieces, an ugly man, pain, a green light and then darkness. He’d been taken somewhere that smelled like flowers and plastic and burnt toast and put in a small space with some things he’d knocked over, long and thin. He didn’t know what they were.

And so he cried, because he wanted his mother. But his wails just alerted a loud voice who’d pulled him by his shirt, smacked his face, and thrown him back into the small room. So he cried softer, trying to be quiet and when he heard a rather loud “Pop” he didn’t know what it was.

“Hullo?” he had little hope that it was anyone, but he still needed to know if someone was there.

“Master Potter.” A screechy voice said, and Harry cried harder because he didn’t know who this was. Then he was pulled into a chest, it smelled of pine. The body felt small and he could hear an erratic heartbeat, but he didn’t know who this person was, showing him comfort.

He sat back. “Num?” He asked, he was only 15 months old.

“Kreacher.”

“Kah?”  He asked, and was rather proud that he got that much out. He reached his hands out to run over the man. He couldn’t see, but he could feel.

The man was taller than him, but not by much. His back seemed hunched, his eyes sunken. He had a rather large nose and very large ears. He didn’t seem to be wearing much and Harry wondered how odd his parents were in this large world.

He fell asleep in the man’s arms, and felt hope for the first time all day.

The next morning his aunt “tune” as he called her, had him clean. He constantly bumped into things and she liked to yell. She gave him something to put on his face but he didn’t know what it was. When he tried to take it off though, she yelled again, so he dealt with the thing.

That night he was back in his spot, and Kreacher came back. He wondered why Kreacher wasn’t there in the day. But he couldn’t ask that, so he just lay his head on the man’s chest and felt asleep to his heartbeat.

oOo

Kreacher wasn’t very good with time. He watched the young master do the work of a house elf, day after day. He left after realizing the muggles weren’t feeding the young master, and would get food with the little money left in Grimmauld place.

Most nights his young charge would fall asleep on his chest. One night, Kreacher cleaned the house while the muggles slept, so that his charge wouldn’t have to do it the next day. But in the morning the large man beat his charge for it, so he didn’t do it again.

When the young master healed from that particular beating, he would unlock the door, which was locked from the outside, and lead him silently through the house, so that he could memorize the landscape. For a while the muggles were happy with that, the boy stopped tripping over things and walking into furniture. However, it was asking too much for that to last. The man decided to start moving things, an inch here, a few inches there, and his charge bumped into things more.

The man would get angry and Kreacher wondered what he could possibly do. The young master was well fed, because of him, but money was running out and he came back to the cupboard each day more battered and bruised than the last. The young master didn’t ever complain, but Kreacher knew that this was not right.

So Kreacher did the only thing he thought he could. He went to Gringotts. Now usually house elves weren’t allowed in Gringotts. Actually they never were. The wards kept them out, so when he saw Wizards and Witches enter he would ask them to send a Goblin out. He had little hope of any of them doing such a thing, but then a woman with red hair and a lot of kids told him that she would send one out.

“Hello?” A goblin said.

“Master Bogrod. I must be asking a favor” Kreacher greeted.

“What is it?” Bogrod said.

“Master Potter, the heir of Black is be needing things to eat. He is not be getting food from his guardians, I be needing some Knuts to buy him food.”

“Master Potter’s guardians, the Dursleys get a monthly stipend for his care.” Bogrod said.

“They is not be using it correctly then.” Kreacher said.

“You must bring Master Potter here during banking hours, then we may talk of money.” And with that Bogrod left.

Kreacher was not sure how he was going to get Harry to Gringotts during the day, but the next week, with scarcely a crumb of food for his charge, the Dursleys went out. For Dudley’s birthday, he overheard. Luckily the Dursleys liked to spend a weekend for Dudley’s birthday. It was on a Saturday this year, they decided to take him out three days so they went out Monday as well. Kreacher thought it was just an excuse for Vernon to miss work but he immediately apparated to Diagon when they left that Monday.

“You be asking for Bogrod Harry.”

“Okay” Harry said as he stumbled up the steps of the bank. Luckily no one was around to see it.

oOo

Harry trusted the strange man that slept with him at nights. He was his only friend. He knew the man was not a child, and he wondered of the world outside of Privet drive. So when Kreacher took him to what was dubbed “Gringotts” and told him to go in, he didn’t hesitate. Before they left Kreacher had told him that his kind was not allowed in Gringotts, and so Harry walked up the stairs alone.

He made it inside, but the area was completely open, unlike his home. The landscape was foreign and so he stood, rooted to the spot, and hoped someone would come and help him.

“May I help you young sir?” A scratchy voice said beside him.

“Bogrod?” He asked, his vocabulary hadn’t expanded much since he lived at the Dursleys.

“My name is Gomuk” the voice said. “I will get you Bogrod.” The presence left his side and Harry stood there waiting.

“You asked for me?”

“Bogrod?”

“Yes…”

“Kreacher took me, but he can’t come in.” Harry said.

“Then we shall go out.” Bogrod said. Harry didn’t move. “What are you waiting for?”

“Will you guide me? I can’t see” Harry asked and a hand with long fingers took his.

“Harry!” Kreacher greeted and took his hand in the more familiar knobby one. “Bogrod this is Harry Potter, Black heir.”

“Mr. Potter.” Bogrod said. “Kreacher told me last week that you needed an allowance, but we pay your guardians.”

“What’s an allowance?” Harry asked.

“Money, to buy food and such.” Kreacher said.

“Oh, you must not be giving them enough.” Harry said. “Kreacher feeds me sometimes, the Dursleys never have enough for me.”

oOo

Kreacher was waiting outside and getting rather nervous when Bogrod led Harry down the stairs.

He was pleased when Bogrod bowed to him, to show him respect but he knew the young master couldn’t see it. His young master was so innocent. He thought the Dursleys didn’t have enough food for him, while Kreacher knew for a fact they just didn’t think he should get any.

“Hmmm.” Bogrod said. “How do you like your home?” He asked Harry.

“It’s fine. Kreacher stays with me.” Harry said.

“Dursleys house is not being fine.” Kreacher announced saying fine with disdain. “They be keeping master in a cupboard, they not be feeding him, and they make him work like a house elf.”

“What’s a cupboard?” Harry asked.

“It’s where we sleep, Harry.” Kreacher said.

“Oh, well, I don’t really care where I sleep.”

“There be spiders in the cupboard.” Kreacher admonished.

“It’s okay. They just want somewhere warm. I can’t see them anyway.” Harry said.

oOo

Bogrod looked on in horrid fascination of the boy-who-lived arguing with a house elf over his sub-standard living space.

“Kreacher?” He butt in. The house elf looked up at him. “I wonder if one Andromeda Tonks would be of help.”

Kreacher’s face lit up. “Master Harry. I be getting a better adult to take care of you. Stay with Bogrod.” He said and gave the boys hand back to the Goblin.

“Bogrod?” Harry asked holding the man’s hand. “Why is Kreacher not allowed into Gringotts?”

“House elves aren’t allowed into Gringotts.”

“What’s a house elf?”

“Kreacher is a house elf.”

“So a small man with big ears?”

Bogrod was horrified. This young boy knew nothing of the world he’d saved. “Not quite.”

“Why are your fingers so long?” Harry asked.

“I’m a goblin.” Bogrod said. He could tell the young boy didn’t understand.

“Harry. I is to be taking you to the Tonkses” Kreacher came back.

“Thank you for your help Bogrod” Harry said and was gone in a moment.

Bogrod was still rather stunned, but he went into the bank and changed where the allowance was going, to the Tonks’ household, instead of the muggles.

oOo

Kreacher didn’t much care for the blood traitor Andromeda Tonks, but he knew she would treat Harry better than the muggles. She had a daughter too, hopefully she was better than “Dudders.”

“Hello?” The woman called out and Kreacher led Harry through the rather cluttered terrain of her house. “Harry” the woman had a small smile on her face and went to pick the boy up but Kreacher stepped in between them.

“Harry is being hurt. You is hurting him should you pick him up.” Kreacher said and Harry gripped his hand harder.

“Where are you hurt Harry?” Andromeda asked.

Harry shrugged.

“Well, let’s have you take off your clothes then, to see the damage.” Andromeda said.

“It’s okay master Harry. Tonkses not be hurting you.” Kreacher said.

oOo

Andromeda had been rather startled when the old Black house elf had popped into her kitchen. And of course when she heard “child” and “abuse” she told the house elf to bring him to her, because no child would be abused on her watch.

But she had not been expecting such a small boy, who was so dependent on Kreacher. And she was not prepared for the welts and bruises that littered his torso.

She thought over her options. Nyphmandora was in school, she had about three hours left. She went to a rather nice healer at Saint Mungo’s. Healer Rowan, the woman was quite popular and Andromeda wondered if she’d be able to fit them in.  She went to firecall them, but like she had thought Healer Rowan wasn’t available at all for the next month.

Now she could bring Harry to the emergency ward, but this was Harry Potter, it would litter the papers.

The only other healer she knew was madam Pomfrey, so she floo called the hospital ward at Hogwarts. Luckily it was late June so there were no students, but that may also mean the matron was on leave.

She was there and had the three step through.

oOo

Poppy Pomfrey hadn’t known that Andromeda Tonks had a little boy. And when it was explained to her that this little boy was actually none other than Harry Potter, she was rather shocked.

The boy looked like he had been beaten every day of his life. Though he was a little underweight, he looked to be almost healthy in that regard and when the boy told her that he had Kreacher to thank for that, she nearly fainted.

He was completely blind, and when Poppy cast a diagnostic she fell to her knees.

“What is it?” Andromeda asked from her place beside the boy. She was holding his right hand, while the elf, Kreacher, held his left.

“The cruciatus.” Poppy breathed. Andromeda looked scandalized.

“Right. I don’t know who put him in the muggles care after such a curse, but he’s staying with me and Ted. Alert whoever you need to, he’s not leaving my sight until they are put to trial.” Poppy nodded as she let the two go. The cruciatus…on a baby…to overlook that was truly unforgivable.

oOo

Nymphandora arrived home to find a house elf, which her mother hated with a vengeance and a young boy sitting in her living room.

“Hello!” She greeted. “I’m Nymphandora Tonks, everyone calls me Dora though.”

“Harry.” The boy said without looking at her.

“Are you alright?” she asked and sat down beside him, the side not taken by the house elf.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Master Harry is not being fine. Master Harry was told to explore, but the debris is too much and Mrs. Tonkses won’t be letting Kreacher clean it up.”

Dora looked around to see that the floor was littered with her toys: coloring books, dolls, doll outfits, and puzzles. They were strewn about the room. Her mom and dad didn’t really care seeing as she played with most of them on a daily basis but the young boy seemed to mind.

“Mum probably thinks that you can just avoid them Harry.” She said to the young boy.

“Master Harry is being blind.” The house elf said scandalized.

“Kreacher, it’s alright. I’ll just sit here.”

Dora frowned. This young boy was blind? Immediately she got off the couch and put her things in the drawers that were delegated for them. “Come on then Harry, I’ll lead you around.” She grabbed the boy’s small hand and began to lead him around the room. He counted steps, not in a normal way though.

oOo

Andromeda was rather stunned when she came back to the living room to find her daughter leading Harry around by the hand. “Dora, what’s going on?”

“Harry’s blind mum. We’re counting steps.”

Apparently Andromeda hadn’t been listening to Poppy, so intent on the damage that she could see, she hadn’t heard the young boy was blind, else she would have led him around herself.

“I’m so sorry Harry. I wasn’t listening.”

“It’s okay Mrs. Tonks. Dora’s helping me.”

“Please, call me Andromeda, or mum.”

“Mum, Andromeda is a big word for a three year old.” Nymphandora said.

“Right, how about Andy then?”

“Okay Andy, thank you” the young boy said.

oOo

Edward Tonks was a simple man. He worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magic Public Information Services.

He loved his wife, and his daughter, and got home at five-o-clock on the dot every night, where Dora would bowl him over with a hug.

But that night, when he got home, Dora wasn’t there. He wondered if she was growing out of it, and he truly hoped not. It was one of the best parts of his day.

“Hello dear.” Andromeda said as she kissed him on the cheek.

“Where’s Dora?” Ted asked.

“Oh. We have a guest. I do hope that’s alright.”

Ted walked into the living room to see that it was completely devoid of clutter. ‘What happened?’ he wondered and then he saw his daughter on the floor with a young boy.

“Hello.” He said in his soft voice.

“Dad!” Dora called out and ran up to him. “This is Harry. Mom says he’s gonna stay with us. Isn’t he cute?” She ran back to the boy and grabbed him by the hand bringing him over to her father.

“Hello Harry.” The boy had a small smile on his face. “I’m Ted.” He reached his hand out. Dora frowned.

“Harry’s blind, Dad.”

“What?” Ted asked.

“I’ll tell you about it tonight dear” Andromeda said. “Now, time for dinner.”

Ted saw a house elf in the kitchen, Dromeda hated house elves.

He watched the house elf help the boy cut the chicken that he had cooked.

Dora was talking about school and she asked if Harry was going.

“I can’t read” The boy said as he gestured to his eyes.

“I think I know someone who can help with that.” Ted found himself saying. And he did know someone. Arthur would likely be able to help him combine muggle and wizarding items in order for the boy to read. “I’ll take you with me to meet him tomorrow if you’d like”

The boy smiled in answer. Ted vowed that he would do anything to keep this boy as his son.

oOo

Harry went to bed that night and Kreacher wasn’t there. He waited and waited, and finally heard Dora go to bed.

“Dora.” He called out.

“Dora.” Slightly louder.

“Dora.” He was desperate now.

“What’s up Harry?” Dora asked as she came into his room.

“Kreachers not here, I always sleep with him. Can I stay with you?”

“Of course” The girl picked him up and brought him to her room. “Kreachers at the Ministry with mom. I’m sorry she didn’t tell you, she didn’t know. I’m sure he’ll be back later.”

Harry’s tears slowed as he nodded into her chest. Dora smelled of oranges and it was soothing.

oOo

Andromeda got back late from the ministry. They wanted to sweep it all under the rug. It also didn’t help when the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, said he was the one to place Harry at the Dursleys. She called for his immediate dismissal, but nothing came of it. She was so tired when she got home that she just curled into Ted’s warm body and fell asleep.

The next morning she went to check on Harry, but he wasn’t in his bed. She started to fret and began running around the house frantically. She finally checked Nymphandora’s room to find her daughter and Harry sharing a pillow, with Kreacher sleeping at the foot of the bed. It was a sight.

She started to make breakfast and was a little startled when Harry called out “Good morning Andy.”

“Morning Harry. How did you know it was me, love?”

“Kreacher told me, but you also smell like apples. Dora smells like oranges and Ted smells like wood.”

Andromeda smiled.

“Are you excited to go to the Ministry today?” She asked.

Harry shrugged. “Is Kreacher coming with me?”

“Kreacher has to come to Hogwarts with me.” Andromeda said.

“Oh.” The boy’s face fell. “But I get to stay with Ted?” he asked hopefully.

“Yes love.” The boy smiled slightly.

oOo

Harry liked Ted. He was very tall, but he carried him around with ease, Dora was the same. They didn’t hurt his bruised body when they picked him up. Madam Pomfrey had taken care of some of his cuts, but the bruises required bruise paste for a week to heal. His woody scent reminded him of Kreacher. They made their way to the place Ted worked, Harry couldn’t really tell anything but he knew they were moving around on something it made him dizzy. There were also a ton of people and smells. It was scary.

“We’re in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department.” Ted told him softly, “We’re going to go see Arthur Weasley.”

They walked a little ways, everyone seemed to know Ted and said hello.

“Ted! What are you doing down in our department” A loud voice that reminded him slightly of Vernon rang out. Harry flinched.

“Hi Arthur. You see Harry here is blind, Dromeda and I just took him in. I was hoping you might be able to help him with his reading. Maybe modify something muggle?” Ted asked.

“Hello Harry!” The man boomed and Harry flinched again, hugging tighter to Ted.

“Arthur, you’re yelling.” Ted said.

“Oh sorry.” The man was quieter this time. “The twins will probably be able to figure this out better than me. Brilliant those two.” Arthur said.

“Maybe you can ask them tonight?” Ted asked.

“Of course. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” Ted said. He wondered if he should bring Harry back home, but Dora was at school and Dromeda was at Hogwarts so he brought the boy with him to his department.

Literally everyone stopped him, wanting to meet his son, Ted knew that they should adopt the boy and officially make him a Tonks. He was respectful and quiet, and while Ted worked he sat there.

Ted had books and puzzles for when Dora came in when she was younger, but he also knew that some of his coworkers had toys for their children. So he asked Dirk what toys he had. Turned out the man had a Tupperware balls toy and Harry was overjoyed with it.

The way the boy used his hands was remarkable. And Ted made sure to get the forms to legally adopt him on his way out.

oOo

Andromeda was a little startled when she got to Hogwarts to find Professor McGonagall waiting for her. She was expecting the Headmaster.

“Hello Mrs. Tonks” McGonagall greeted. “I see you haven’t read the prophet.”

Andromeda shook her head no. McGonagall handed her the Paper. “Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts dies in tragic accident”

“What happened?” Andromeda asked the new Headmistress.

“Albus was quite upset about the boy. He threw himself off of the astronomy tower, the paper made it out to be an accident, but it was suicide.”

“I can’t say I’m sorry.” Andromeda said.

“So, what can I do for you?”

“Well I guess nothing now, I was going to yell at Dumbledore, and make him watch Kreacher’s memories.”

“I’d like to see them if you don’t mind, so that I can be prepared when he gets here.”

Andromeda nodded and Kreacher showed both women his memories, they both swore to protect the boy.

And when Ted got home with the official adoption papers Andromeda hesitated to ask two people.

“Harry, Kreacher?”

“Yes Andy?” Harry asked.

“Would you like to become a Tonks?”

“What does that mean?” Harry asked.

“It means we’d be your guardians, no one could take you from us. And Dora would be your sister.” Ted said.

A smile broke out on the boy’s face “I would love to be a Tonks then.”

The four Tonks’ hugged and all went to beds with smiles on their faces.

oOo

Harry loved his new family. Dora let him sleep with her, and Ted had gotten her a larger bed since Kreacher stayed with the two as well. Ted’s voice was soothing and he got Harry things that worked with his blindness. His colleague, Arthur, had his sons create a device.

They dubbed the device the babblesworth. Harry had met the two and they were rather funny. The way it worked was you took a small piece of…well harry didn’t know what it was but you stuck it on a book and it read it to you through something you stick in your ears. They were working on ways to pause, direct, and search through the device for right now it just read a book all the way through and if you took it off, it started over again.

Harry was really anxious on his birthday that year. He liked Andy, but she was a little overbearing sometimes. Dora was at school and Ted was at work. He just could not stop crying and he wanted Dora, even Kreacher couldn’t stop him.

Dora was the best big sister he could’ve asked for. She let him sleep in her room and read her books and she would make cool animal noises. She was a metamorphagus see, and she could do all sorts of cool things, but Harry couldn’t see them.

Dora went to a special school, because she had trouble controlling her magical abilities and when Harry couldn’t stop crying, Andy took him there.

She walked him through the school and took him to the principle. Mr. Enzo. Mr. Enzo was nice enough, and he took Harry to Dora’s class. Andy decided to go see McGonagall and asked if Harry could stay the rest of his day. The principle said yes and led him to the classroom.

“Ms. Ella” Mr. Enzo greeted as he opened a door. “I was wondering if Mr. Tonks could sit in on your class today?”

“Dora, I didn’t know you had a little brother.” A female voice said. “Of course, come sit next to Dora dear.”

“I’ll be right over Harry,” Dora said.

“No need Miss Tonks I’m walking him over.” Mr. Enzo said.

Harry felt Dora take his hand and he hugged her tight. “What’s wrong little brother?”

“I dunno. I just missed you.”

“Okay. Come sit.” She place him on a chair. “We’re learning maths, so be quiet. Did you bring anything to do?”

Harry shook his head no.

“I’ll get you a book.”

“What’s math Dora?”

“Hmm. Ms. Ellie can Harry have an extra math sheet?” Dora asked. “Here, did you bring babblesworth?” Harry nodded. “See if you can make sense of this then. Don’t worry if you can’t though, its years above your age range.”

Harry smiled. “Thanks Dora.”

Harry could hear the scratches of pens on paper as he stuck babblesworth onto the paper. “One times one equals” a pause “two times one equals” then he heard someone breathing in front of him.

“Hi Mr. Tonks. I’m Miss Ellie.”

“He’s blind Miss Ellie, he can’t see your hand” Dora said quietly.

“Oh.” Ms. Ellie exclaimed. “Why did you ask for a sheet then?”

“Babblesworth will read it to him.” Dora said.

Harry took the device off of the paper and held it in his hands.

“What a funny contraption.” She said. “And how do you write?”

“We haven’t figured that part out yet.” Dora said.

“Maybe a quick quill?” Ms. Ellie supplied.

“We’ll get one when we go to Diagon for my books for Hogwarts, Harry. Do the numbers make sense to you?” Dora said.

“Kreacher taught me how to count, but I don’t know what times mean, isn’t time a measure of the daylight?” Harry asked.

“You’ll get it when you’re older Harry. I’m glad you know numbers though.” Dora said.

oOo

They had a very small party that night and Harry asked Dora about Hogwarts. She told him about Hufflepuff and Slytherin, her parents’ houses, and told him that she would probably be in Hufflepuff. Harry was quite excited for Dora to go to Hogwarts, though he was worried about her being away for most of the year. And she would graduate before he went, which wasn’t fair. Assuming he was going at all. He couldn’t very well write, so he didn’t know if he could go to Hogwarts.

Dora was done with school that Friday, but Andy took him to Hogwarts because she thought it would be best to get him to know the halls well before he went. And McGonagall wanted to meet him.

“Harry Potter.” The woman said.

“Tonks.”

“What?”

“Harry Tonks” He said.

“Oh, my apologies Mr. Tonks. It’s good to meet you.”

“You as well Headmistress.”

The two women started to chat, and Harry grew rather bored. But he heard a rather familiar “pop” when the tea showed up.

“Hullo?” He whispered.

“Is Master Tonks be needing something?” a high pitched voice asked.

“Are you a house elf?” Harry asked.

“Yes Tinky is being a house elf of Hogwarts.”

“Oh. Hello. My name is Harry. Could you show me around the castle?”

“Tinky is not be knowing if that is being a good idea.”

“That’s why Andy took me here.”

“Well…if Mistress Tonks is okay with it we will go to the great hall.”

Harry felt a pull around his stomach and he knew they were in a much larger room than the one he was in previously.

“The Great Hall Master Harry. Where the students take meals.”

“Cool.”

“Is Master Harry be knowing what house he is being in?”

“No, but Dora is gonna be a Hufflepuff.”

“Oh. Tinky be taking Master Harry to meet Professor Sprout then.”

With another pull Harry smelt dirt and was immediately more comfortable.

“Hello?” He heard a woman’s voice say.

“Professor Sprout” Tinky greeted “Me is be taking Master Tonks around the castle. He is be saying that Dora is in this house.”

“Dora? I don’t have a Dora.”

“Dora is coming in September.” Harry clarified.

“And she’ll be one of my badgers.” Sprout asked.

“Yeah, she thinks so.”

“And you are?” The woman asked.

“Oh, I’m Harry.” He replied.

“It’s rather rude not to take ones hand when you meet them” Sprout said.

“Oh sorry Professor Sprout, I’m blind. I couldn’t see.”

“Oh.” Sprout said. “Well then, we’ll have to make Hogwarts like you. It’ll give you trouble if you can’t see the staircases moving.” The staircases moved? He would never be able to attend. “But it seems you already have the house elves on your side, so we may be able to use that to your advantage.”

“Is Tinky still being needed?”

“I’ll take care of him Tinky.” Sprout said.

“Master Harry?” Tinky asked.

“Professor Sprout will watch over me. Thank you Tinky” Harry said.

“Now, how do you feel about plants Harry?”

“I dunno.” Harry answered, cause he honestly didn’t know much about plants.

“I don’t know how we’re going to overcome your eyesight in here. But maybe the plants will let us know.” The woman grabbed his hand and led him over to something, then stuck his hand out. “This is asphodel, a common potions ingredient.”

Harry could feel a small flower, it was on a thin vine with other buds. The petals were delicate and it smelled slightly sweet, clean, and cold. And then with utter clarity he could see the magic in the plant. He pulled back, startled and everything was black again. He reached out hesitantly. The plant looked friendly. He looked to Sprout. “Professor, I can feel the magic in this plant.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t happen with anything else.”

“Have you tried the castle?”

“Well…no.”

“Here” Sprout said and let him to the wall. He reached out, it wasn’t as clear. A large mass of magic, completely friendly other than one part of the castle which felt eerie to the boy.

“It’s not as clear…but it’s there.”

“Hmm. But not with people?”

“No. Not with people, or house elves, or goblins.” Harry said.

“Harry!” Andy’s voice called out. “You shouldn’t be running off in the castle. You could’ve gotten hurt.”

“I’m sorry Andy, Tinky took me here.”

Andy grabbed his hand and he heard a smile in her voice when she next spoke “You would already be friends with the house elves.”

Harry smiled back.

oOo

Dora was going to Diagon Alley with her parents to get her school supplies. She kept a tight grip on Harry’s hand, she didn’t want him to get lost as they made their way through the stores.

Kreacher kept his grip on Harry’s other hand and Dora was sure people were looking at them oddly as they made their way through the alley.

“Gringotts first” Her father announced.

“Oh! We can see Bogrod! But Kreacher can’t go in” Harry said.

“Why can’t Kreacher go in?” Dora asked.

“He’s a house elf” Harry said, and Dora didn’t understand.

She carefully led her brother up the stairs, and they were about to walk further into the bank when a Goblin came up to them “Master Potter!” it said.

“Bogrod?” Harry asked.

“Yes.”

“It’s Tonks now. Thank you for your help last month. This is Dora.” Harry said as he held up their hands.

“Hello Miss Dora. It’s nice to meet you. Come this way Tonks, I’ll help you.”

Dora was quite surprised, she had been to Gringotts before and the Goblins usually took forever.

Her parents went down with another Goblin while Dora and Harry sat with Bogrod.

“Here Harry, I got this from your vaults. I hope you don’t mind.” Bogrod said as he held out a ring.

“What is it?” Harry asked as he took it.

“It’s the Potter crest ring Harry. It shows you’re the heir. But…that’s the black crest as well.” Dora said.

“Yes. Mr. Tonks is heir to both Black and Potter.” Bogrod said.

“Thank you Bogrod” Harry said but he still held the rings in his hands

“Here” Dora said as she took them. She put one on each middle finger, and they resized to a better ratio with the small hands they were on.

“Oh!” Harry exclaimed. “Cool!”

Their next stop was Flourish and Blotts and Kreacher ran off in some direction, taking Harry and Dora with him.

“Miss! Miss!” Kreacher called to a woman, she turned around. “Kreacher must be thanking you for your help.”

“Oh it was no bother” The woman said.

“Hello. I’m Dora” She said as she reached her hand out. “You helped Kreacher bring me my brother. Thank you.” Dora assumed this was the woman who helped Kreacher.

“Oh. It was no trouble. I’m Molly. Molly Weasley. And these are my sons, Bill and Charlie. Charlie’s going into his first year.”

“Dora is too!” Harry said excitedly “What house do you think you’ll be in Charlie?”

“Gryffindor.” The boy said shyly.

“Mrs. Weasley?” Harry asked. “Are you related to Arthur, Fred and George?”

“Why yes.”

“Fred and George made my blabbersworth, Arthur helped too.” Harry smiled up at the woman.

Dora looked back to Charlie, who seemed to be looking at Harry appraisingly. “We’re doubly grateful to your family then Mrs. Weasley. First you bring me my brother, and then you open his world to books.” She was smiling up at the woman.

Dora’s parents seemed to be behind them now.

“Quite right Dora. I’d like to pay for your sons books if that’s alright? It’s nowhere near thanks enough, but it’s a start” Dad said.

“Oh I really-” Mrs. Weasley began

“We insist” Mom said.

The parents bustled around the store getting the school books while Dora led the two boys outside.

“What house are you in Bill?” Dora asked.

“Gryffindor.”

“Hopefully we can be friends. Unfortunately Harry and I won’t be in school together.”

“Of course, any chance you’re good at potions? I’m pants at it” Charlie said.

Dora smiled.

oOo

Andy was beside herself. Harry was generally a very good and quiet kid. He’d had one breakdown earlier in the summer and she’d had to take him to Dora’s elementary school, but other than that he was the perfect child. Now he was crying again and just wanted his sister.

She floo called McGonagall who allowed him through and McGonagall said it was no problem for her to take him to the potions classroom and send him back for dinner.

oOo

Professor McGonagall was leading him somewhere and suddenly he recognized the smell of cauldrons.

“Dora?” He called out into the potions classroom.

“Harry, what are you doing here?” Dora was hugging him

“I missed you.” His tears slow.

“Can he stay Professor Snape?” Dora asked.

“I really don’t think that would be wise.” Snape said.

“He’ll just sit here, I promise.” Dora said.

“Please Professor Snape” Harry asked.

“I personally guarantee he will behave.” Headmistress McGonagall said.

“Fine. But sit on a stool and stay there.” Snape said. Harry smiled.

oOo

Dora could tell her desk mate was begging to ask about her brother. No one called her Dora, not even her closest friends, everyone called her Tonks. She knew it wouldn’t be an issue seeing as Harry and she wouldn’t be in school together. It was only the second month of classes, and she wondered what set Harry off. He was quite close with her, but he loved mom and dad as well. But sometimes she knew he just needed her. She wondered how frequent his trips to the castle would be. Currently hey were in the middle of brewing a forgetfulness potion.

“Dora!” Harry called out in alarm. The whole classroom stilled.

“What is it Harry?” Dora asked

“Someone is about to put dung beetles into their potion. It’ll cause an explosion.”

Dora looks around the room, “Charlie! Put those down.”

“Charlie’s in this class?”

“Yeah over here Harry!” Charlie said.

“Hi Charlie, why are you in potions, you’re pants at it?” Harry said with a cute grimace.

The whole room laughed. “It’s a required course.” The boy said with a large blush.

“Oh.” Harry says.

“Alright everyone back to work!” Dora called out.

Dora was well liked among her classmates, and when she took that tone they all listened to her.

When Snape told them it was time to leave he asked for Harry and Dora to stay behind.

“Mr. Tonks. How did you know that was about to happen?” Snape asked.

“Oh, well Fred and George like to brew and they let me smell and feel all the new ingredients. I’ve already read the potions text, Dora let me borrow it and so I know the directions. I have a heightened sense of smell due to my blindness you see.”

“Hmmm.” Snape said. “I owe you a cauldron then. Dismissed.” Snape said.

Dora walked them out into the hallway and Harry pulled her to the side, he was running his hand along the wall. “We’re going to the great hall okay?”

Harry nodded. When Dora tried to lead them there though, Harry pulled her in another direction, she went with it. They arrived in the great hall for lunch before her entire potions class, and Dora was confused.

“How did you know the way Harry?”

“The castle told me.”

Harry had told Dora the he could feel the magic of the castle, but she didn’t know it had a focus. “Wasn’t it a blur a few months ago?”

“Yeah but I didn’t ask it to lead me somewhere back then.” Dora filed that away and sat down to wait for her friends.

“Tonks” A second year Charles Gregor greeted. “Who’s this?”

“My brother, Harry.”

“Hello” Harry said.

“Harry!” Charlie Weasley came up to the boy and hugged him from behind. “You all don’t mind if I join you for lunch do you?” Tonks shook her head no. Charlie was a good friend. “You saved my butt in Potions Harry, I owe you one.”

Harry smiled. “Is Bill here too?”

“Yeah. You want me to get him? I don’t think he noticed you were here. McGonagall will probably make an announcement though.”

“Attention” they heard McGonagall from the front. “We have a young visitor today. Mr. Harry Tonks. He is going around with his sister for the day. Please mind your feet, he’s only four.”

“Told you.” Charlie said.

“Harry!” Bill greeted. “Good to see you mate. What class were you in?”

“Potions. Saved me from Snape’s wrath.” Charlie said.

oOo

Harry found that the great hall, which once seemed large, seemed rather small and loud with all the people in it. He leaned his head against Dora’s shoulder.

“You okay Harry?”

“Busy.” He said. He knew Dora would understand.

“Don’t worry. We have Transfiguration soon, that’s McGonagall’s class, it’ll be quiet there.”

Harry nodded. Dora conversed with her friends and he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to make it here, not in his current state.

Dora led him over to a wall after lunch and said “Lead the way” he happily asked the castle the way to the classroom and Dora kept hold of his hand.

“Tonks.” McGonagall said. “You’re never early for class.”

“Harry knows a secret way that’s faster.” Dora said and smiled at her little brother. “Plus the hall was getting a little loud, and smelly for him.”

McGonagall nodded. “Well, we’re transfiguring cups today. Maybe you’ll be able to feel their magic Harry.”

Harry smiled “I hope so!”

oOo

Andromeda waited at the floo to catch Harry just before dinner. He came stumbling out. She could only imagine how disorienting it was without one of your senses. But when she looked at his face, she knew she made the right decision, he was wearing a huge smile.

“Hello love”

“Hi Andy.” He said and hugged her legs.

“How was Hogwarts?” Andromeda asked.

“So good! The castles magic leads me around, but it’s really loud and smelly.” Harry answered with a scrunched nose.

“Are you excited to go there in a few years?” Andromeda asked.

“I dunno. I like the professors but there’s lots of kids there, it’s a little…” Harry trailed off like he didn’t know the words.

“Disorienting?” Andromeda supplied.

“Yeah that.” Harry said and Kreacher came over with a cup of hot chocolate.

oOo

Ted realized pretty quickly that his son was brighter than average. They’d tried to put him in Dora’s school for preschool but he hadn’t liked the other children there.

Then they’d tried a school for the blind and while Harry was now good at reading books in brail, he thought that it wouldn’t work if he wanted to learn at Hogwarts. Ted agreed with him. So that led to Harry being homeschooled by Dromeda, who had gotten enough books to last her through the year, and scarcely three months in their son was finished with them.

Ted decided that he should learn about the muggle side of things after that, and so he took to tutoring the boy on the weekends. Dromeda unfortunately couldn’t take that over so he just told her to start on the next year’s curriculum.

Ted was also quite grateful to Miss Ellie for recommending a quick quill. There was no way that Harry was going to be able to write, but he wondered how the boy would take the OWLS and NEWTS since they weren’t allowed, he’d have to look into it.


	2. 1985

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 3-4th Year  
> Dora- 1-2nd Year  
> Charlie- 1-2nd Year

Their first Yule together was beautiful. Dora had made Harry a rather ugly scarf, not that Harry could tell, he absolutely loved it because it was so soft.

Harry had blushed when he gave her a book. Andromeda knew he’d spent hours scouring for the right one. He’d gotten Ted a mug, with a picture of him, Dora and Andy.

Harry got a book from Ted, and Andy gave him a textured Rubik cube.

Andromeda got a necklace from Ted, and Dora gave them both an album with pictures of her at school.

Dora told Harry all about flying lessons, which sounded really cool, and once again he wondered how he’d ever attend Hogwarts with flying being a required course.

It also snowed over break and Harry caught the snowflakes on his tongue with Dora, she let him feel the soft fluffy ice, and Harry immediately asked Ted and Andy for a book about how they formed.

Dora went back soon after Yule and Harry couldn’t help but feel left behind.

oOo

Harry tried and tried to not show how much he missed his sister, but it was hard. She let him sleep with her again when she was back for break and even though he still had Kreacher, he missed her warmth. Plus he didn’t feel right staying in her room, so he stayed in his own and it just didn’t feel right.

He loved his room, really he did. He didn’t really know what color it was, but it smelled like wood, and held his clothes. It had a chest for his toys and he had shelves of books on one wall. The bed was soft, smaller than Dora’s since he hadn’t wanted to sleep there at first and when Ted suggested that he get a bigger bed, it felt too lonely without her.

Andy kept telling him that Dora wouldn’t mind him visiting, but he didn’t want to mess up her time. He’d be a bother, he knew.

oOo

Since Harry had met Molly Weasley she had invited him over on the weekends. Ron and Ginny attended preschool during the week, the twins were at elementary and so was Percy.

Harry really liked Ron and Ginny, they were both sweet and didn’t seem to mind being quiet and playing something that Harry could, but they were both also young and full of energy, so they’d usually go outside after about an hour.

The twins liked to experiment, but they were also really good older brothers. They had a cauldron set, and like Harry told Snape, they let him touch and smell the ingredients as well as each stage of the potion.

Percy was quiet, and had the least energy of the bunch so when the twins got tired of having to slow down for him, Harry would go to Percy’s room and ask him about school. Percy was really helpful. He let Harry use babblesworth on his uncompleted homework sheets and books whenever he came up.

oOo

That summer when Dora came home she showed him how to brew the forgetfulness potion. First she started with an empty cauldron, reading the steps which Harry had memorized, the tricky part though, was the timing.

“We have to figure out how to get you to stir. This is clockwise” Dora said as she took his hand moving it in a circle to the right. “This is counter clockwise” she moved his hand the other way.

“Okay”

“Now show me clockwise” Harry did the first motion. “Counter clockwise” the second. “Good, we’ll come back to that later.”

Harry smiled.

“Okay, how do we know the time?” Harry could hear Dora pacing. “We’ll have to ask the twins, or a muggle” Dora said.

“Maybe Kreacher could help?” Harry asked hopefully.

“For now, probably. But you can’t take tests with him, they’ll accuse you of cheating. And how are you going to know the level of the flame?” Dora sounded pensive.

“Dora?”

“Yeah Harry?”

“Maybe I’m not cut out for Hogwarts.”

“No. You’re my brother, and you’re going to Hogwarts no matter what. A little blindness isn’t getting in our way.” Dora said sternly. “Let’s ask mum to take us to the Weasley’s tomorrow yeah?”

Harry nodded.

oOo

The next day they went to the Weasley’s. The twins didn’t have an immediate answer, what they did have was an updated babblesworth, it could now pause, and you could specify the starting point. You still couldn’t repeat paragraphs, search for words, and skip photo captions though, so they said more work needed to be done.

They also had something new. The quick quill was able to write for Harry, but it couldn’t draw anything. They gave Harry something they dubbed scribblescrabble it was an inconspicuous muggle pen, but the boys said it did much more, with a matching set of glasses that go on the wearers face. Harry couldn’t wait to try it out.

Ron and Ginny were over at other friends’ houses that day, and Bill and Charlie were on the pitch. They landed to come see Dora.

“Hey Tonks, how’s it going?” Charlie asked. “Hey Harry” He said as he ruffled the boy’s hair.

“It’s going alright.” Tonks said. “Bill?”

“Yeah Tonks?”

“Would you take Harry up in the air? I don’t have as much practice.”

“You okay with that Harry?” Bill asked

“Yeah!” Harry said with a huge smile. Bill pulled him to straddle the broom behind him.

“Hold on tight alright?” Harry nodded.

They were up in the air, while Bill’s larger form cut some of the wind out, Harry still felt weightless, not to mention the magic in the broom was excited.

“Wotcher” Dora said.

“Dora are you flying too?” Harry asked.

“Yes, little brother” She said as she bumped his shoulder lightly. “So’s Charlie”

“Charlie, are you better than flying than you are at potions?” Harry asked.

“Much!” The boy said with a laugh.

The four landed back on the ground and the three older kids were watching Harry’s face which held a huge smile. “That was awesome” He breathed. “Dora, can I hold your broom?” He asked and she handed it over.

“There’s a team that rides brooms, it’s called quidditch, maybe you can come and watch Bill play next year little brother.” Dora said.

“Yeah.” Harry smiled. “That’d be cool, but I couldn’t see it.”

“Someone announces it, I’m sure you’ll be able to keep up” Charlie said with a smile.

“Dora?”

“Yeah Harry?”

“Is your broom different than Bill’s?”

“Yeah, they’re different makers.” Dora said.

“What about Charlie’s?”

“How about you guess?” She said as she grabbed her broom from Harry and gave him Charlie’s.

Harry held it for a moment. “It’s more like Bill’s, but still different.”

“Yeah, Bill’s is a Cleansweep 32, Charlie’s is a Cleansweep 34, and mine is a Thunderbolt.” Dora said.

“Do you think any of the broom makers would let us go to their shops?” Harry asked.

“Probably not” Charlie said, Dora gave him a glare. “How about wands?”

“Brilliant!” Dora said. “Wands please.” Bill and Charlie handed theirs over. “Alright Harry, let me know if you can see these.” She handed him all three wands.

“Oh!” Harry said surprised. “They’re all different” Harry felt each one carefully.

“Wanna take a guess at whose is whose?” Dora asked.

Harry nodded enthusiastically. “This feels the most like Bill” he passed the wand over. “Charlie, and Dora” passing each one in turn. “Was I right?”

Dora smiled as the other two nodded. “Yeah, you were. Want to know what each of them are made of?”

“Yes Please!” Harry was jumping in excitement.

“Black Walnut, ten and one quarter inch, unicorn hair core” Bill said.

“Cedar, twelve and three quarter inches, unicorn hair core” Dora said.

“Chestnut, nine and one half inches, dragon heartstring core” Charlie said.

“Wow, who makes wands?” Harry asked with wide, unseeing eyes.

“The most famous near us is Ollivander, I think he’d like you” Dora said.

“Do you think Andy would take us to meet him?” Harry asked.

“We can see.” Dora said.

oOo

“Mum?” Dora asked at the dinner table that night.

“Yes love.”

“Do you think that we could visit Ollivanders?”

“Why?” Andromeda asked.

“We went flying with Charlie, and Harry could feel the magic in the brooms. He wondered if the manufacturers may allow us to see the process, but we didn’t think they would. So Charlie suggested trying our wands. He was able to correctly match each one with its owner.” Dora said.

Harry was blushing a fierce red.

“I’m sure Ollivander would be happy to meet you Harry, although no wand until you’re eleven yes?” Andy said.

“Thanks Andy” Harry said with a large smile.

oOo

Early July found all four Tonks and Kreacher at Ollivanders wand shop. No one tended to frequent the shop at this time of the year, so they felt reasonably sure that they could go without disrupting his business.

Harry was jumping up and down with excitement as he walked into the shop.

“Andromeda Tonks…and family, what can I do for you today?” Ollivander asked.

“Hello Mr. Ollivander” Dora said.

“Hullo” Harry said, still jumping but gripping Dora and Kreacher’s hands in his now.

“And who is this?” Ollivander asked.

“I’m Harry Tonks” Harry said.

“You’re not looking for a wand are you, because you seem a little young, Harry…Tonks” Ollivander said.

“No” Harry giggled. “I’m blind Mr. Ollivander, and I can see the magic in some things.” Harry started. “Wands are one, and I was wondering if you could show me some more.”

Andromeda watched her son with a small smile.

“Well, what wands have you seen thus far my dear boy.”

“Dora’s is Cedar, twelve and three quarter inches, unicorn hair core. Bill has Black Walnut, ten and one quarter inch, unicorn hair core. Charlie has Chestnut, nine and one half inches, dragon heartstring core. Then Andy’s is Vine, eight inches, unicorn hair core. Ted’s is English Oak, ten inches, dragon heartstring core.”

“You have been trusted with many a wand, dear boy. We may make a wand maker of you yet.”

“Come, come” Ollivander said waving his hand as they made their way to the backroom, piles of wood, feathers, and more were in the room. They seemed to have no organization at all.

“Here” The man said and handed Harry a block of wood. “Oh.” He seemed discouraged. “I usually can see the wand and make a sketch when I hold a block like that.”

“We can try the scribblescrabble.” Dora said, taking it out of her backpack. “Do you have a piece of parchment Mr. Ollivander?” The man handed one over. Dora put the pen on the parchment, and the glasses on Harry’s face.

Harry saw a wand, twelve inches in length, with a handle that was carved in the shape of snake.

“Brilliant!” Ted exclaimed when he saw the drawing.

“Here, let me see.” Ollivander said as he took the block. “Hmm…I don’t see exactly the same thing young man, but, that does not mean you are wrong.”

Harry left the shop with instructions from Ollivander to go to the park and get sticks of all kinds, drawing what he saw in each one.

oOo

Kreacher was dreadfully sick, so he didn’t want to sleep with his young master. But Dora was going to a sleepover, and Harry hadn’t slept along before.

“Mistress Andromeda?” Kreacher asked in an even scratchier voice than usual.

“Kreacher, you sound awful.”

“Kreacher is being sick.”

“Oh, can I do anything for you?”

“Kreacher is be needing the elder Tonkses to sleep with the young master tonight.”

Andromeda’s face softened. “Alright, but can I do anything for you Kreacher?”

“No Mistress, Kreacher is be going to his room so as not to be getting the young master sick.”

Andromeda smiled after the house elf, he wasn’t her favorite being in the world, but he loved Harry and that earned him a place in her heart.

“Harry love?” She called out, it was after dinner and nearly Harry’s bedtime. He came out of the living room sleepily rubbing his eyes. “Do you mind sleeping with me and Ted tonight? There’s supposed to be thunderstorms and he gets frightened.” She wasn’t a Slytherin for nothing.

“Okay mum” Harry said as he walked over to her. Andromeda held in her gasp of delight and carried him to bed, where she lay down next to him and started reading a book.

Two hours later Ted came in “Dromeda, Harry’s not—“ Ted paused. “Oh. What’s going on?” he said lowering his voice to a whisper.

“Kreacher’s sick and Dora’s out, so Kreacher asked if Harry could stay with us tonight” Andromeda said while she ran a hand through her boy’s hair. “If he asks, you’re afraid of thunder.”

Ted stifled a laugh. He looked at his wife critically. “Did something else happen?”

She looked up at him with a smile. “He called me mum.”

Ted smiled back at her, since they’d adopted him they had told him when he was ready he could call them mum and dad. He had yet to use the names, they didn’t quite know why but they didn’t push. This was a huge step. He climbed gently into bed on the other side of the boy.

Harry curled up into his side “Love you dad” He murmured, still completely out of it.

Both Ted and Andromeda had Dora, so they’d been called mum and Dad before, but this. This made both their hearts constrict, it wasn’t better than Dora’s love, just different. She’d never known anything but love, Harry had known hate so his trust was worth more than all of the galleons in the world.

From that day forward, Harry called his parents mum and dad.

oOo

Harry and Dora enjoyed the rest of the summer, going to the park to pick up sticks, drawing wands, visiting the Weasley’s, going flying. They’d also gone on a trip to the stables.

oOo

Andy and Ted decided to take the kids to a stable one weekend in the summer. 

“I grew up riding them” Andy began “don’t think it’s a useful skill though but I thought you both might like them.” She said as she placed Harry’s hand on the horse’s side. 

“Dora, you haven’t been here before?”

“No little brother. I never heard that story before. And I preferred zoos”

“What’s a zoo?” Harry asked 

“A bunch of different animals in one place” Ted said. 

“Oh I guess of little interest to me then” Harry smiled. “I like this though. She’s warm” 

Dora laughed “this is a male horse”

“Oh. What’s his name?”

Dora looked around finally resorting to going to the stall door “Polo” she read off. 

“Hello Polo. You’re very nice” Harry said. 

“Would you like to ride him?” The stable owner asked. 

“Mum?” Harry questioned. 

“Can they ride together?” Andy asked the man. Both of her kids were hopelessly clumsy, although Dora had been getting better since Harry came to them. 

“Sure. Up you go little lady” he said as he hoisted Dora up onto the horses bare back. “Little man” Harry giggled.

“Now what?” Dora asked. 

“We ask him to move” Harry said like that was the most reasonable explanation ever. “Polo, onward my good stead” he said taking a haughty tone. “I think I heard that on the Telly once” 

To everyone’s astonishment the horse moved forward in a walk, not minding the door and Dora hastily gripped onto its mane. Harry laughed delightedly. 

They were out on the pasture safe within a tall fence when the owner came up to Andy and Ted. “Polo usually hates everyone. Refuses to move with anyone on his back. Your boy is something special” he said. 

“We know” Andy replied. “He’s blind” she said looking back at her smiling children. 

“Carries himself quite well. You can bring him back any time. Polo would appreciate it, and so would I. Wouldn’t have to work him as much” the man said. 

“Thank you.” Ted said. “Do you think he’d be able to ride alone?”

The man seemed to look critically at Harry for a minute before nodding “Yeah. I think he could. Plus Polo would keep him safe. Strong bonds between horses and their riders, he’s obviously chosen your boy as his.” 

oOo

They went again to Diagon, to get what they needed. And once again the Goblins were quick, Bogrod seemed to like young Harry and this time brought him a magical compass from his vaults. “So you don’t get lost” He’d said as he put the compass on a chain around his neck. “The chain’s goblin made.”

Dora had never seen anything made by a goblin before and was quite excited by it but Harry frowned. “The compass isn’t though”

“The compass isn’t what?” Dora asked.

“No, the compass is wizard made.” Bogrod said, answering Harry’s question.

“They feel different.” Harry said with a frown. “The chain feels better. Do Goblins make compasses? I think I’d like one of those better”

Bogrod smiled. “One second Harry Tonks” He scurried off and Dora frowned.

“What do you think he’s doing?” Dora asked. Harry shrugged.

“Harry Tonks, this is Head Goblin Brumeck, he is going to give you a goblin made compass.”

“Really?” Harry asked.

“Yes” Brumeck said. “You obviously have a taste for craftsmanship, but when you are done with it, it comes back to the bank.”

“Of course, thank you Brumeck.” The compass replaced the wizarding one on Harry’s chain. “Yes. That feels much better.”

The two Goblins smiled rather creepy smiles, if Dora was the judge, but they left soon after.

oOo

September 1st found Harry in a rather bad mood. He’d been fine since he visited his sister in November and she came back for Yule. It wasn’t until the spring when he really truly missed her. Though Andromeda had told him that he could visit. Harry insisted that he’d be a bother and so he’d stuck it out until late June.

That had led to him clinging to his sister on the platform while he cried into her chest. The elder Weasley’s had shielded him from view while they waited for their parents.

Now that he knew Dora would be away again he wasn’t happy. So Andromeda had asked if he could ride on the train with Dora, after her daughter made the suggestion of course. McGonagall had said yes, as long as they got there and boarded as soon as the train was in the station. And so Harry rode with Dora to the Castle. Andromeda didn’t mind her daughter leaving a few hours earlier than necessary if it made her son happy.

When they got off the train though, her grip on his hand suddenly was gone and he found himself rather lost. He could feel the crisp night air around him and the amount of people was disorienting. He tried to stay in place but ended up backing away from the noise.

And then he bumped into something. Not two seconds later the familiar feeling of magic swirled around the being “Oh! A horse. Sorry I bumped into you. I lost my sister” He said as he stroked the horse’s neck. He heard a small huff.

“Harry!” He heard Dora behind him.

“See she’s coming to me”

“Harry, who are you talking to?”

“The horse.”

“There’s nothing there Harry” But he grabbed her hand and held it to the horse.

“Wow” She said

“Thanks for listening to me. Sorry I didn’t have anything for you.” Harry said as he was led to the carriage.

oOo

Dora wondered why none of the upper years had to them of the invisible horses that pulled the carriages. In her mind that was way cooler than horseless carriages. But she didn’t share her secret with anyone until she saw her house had at the feast after Harry left.

“Professor Sprout!” She called after the woman.

“Yes dear?” She asked.

“Why did no one tell us of the horses that lead the carriages?” Dora asked

“You can see them?” Sprout looked disturbed.

“No, Harry was on the train with me and he bumped into one when we got separated.”

Sprout smiled. “He’s special, your brother. I hope I get him.”

Dora smiled. “So what are they?”

“Thestrals, I’ll get you a passage on them to send to him. I’m sure he’s curious.”

“Thank you Professor Sprout.”

“Of course dear.”

oOo

“Mum” Harry smiled as she caught him from the floo “Hogwarts has horses!” He exclaimed. 

“What?” Andy said as her heart stopped. 

“Yeah they lead the carriages. I accidentally walked into one” Harry said. 

“Those aren’t horses love.”

“They feel like horses. Obviously of the Magical variety” Harry said. 

“No. They’re thestrals love. Not horses. Only can be seen by those who have witnessed death. I never saw them myself” Andy said. 

“Then how do you know?” 

“I’m a Slytherin, I know everything” Andy said with a smile. 

Harry smiled back then looked to his feet, it was a strange gesture. She didn’t know where he got it from. “Do you think Carlyle will let me take Polo there? And McGonagall?” Harry asked. 

“We can ask.” Andy didn’t hold much hope for that but she didn’t tell her son 

“Do you think I can go back and visit them?” 

“Who love?”

“The thestrals”

“I can ask McGonagall about that too” Andy said. “Alright off to bed with you.” Harry made his way to his room where Andy was sure Kreacher was waiting.

“Hogwarts Headmistress’ office” she called into the floo. 

“Andromeda. I thought I might get a call from you.” 

“Yes. Harry felt the Thestrals”

“As did Dora” McGonagall said. “No need to worry she couldn’t see them”

“Thank Salazar” Andy said. 

“A Slytherin to the core” McGonagall said. 

“Two things. Harry wants to come and visit the thestrals. Would that be possible?”

“Of course. He can have Hagrid accompany him. And the second”

“Harry has a horse.” Andromeda blurted “well horses live like twenty to thirty years. He’s the same age as Harry, same birthday even, Harry asked if he could come to Hogwarts with him” 

“Quite an unorthodox pet” McGonagall said. 

“We didn’t mean to get him. He apparently chose Harry. According to the stable master at least. We visit him every day. The stable masters a squib so he doesn’t mind if Kreacher takes him” 

“He has a way with living things that one” McGonagall said. “Maybe, maybe we can move him here now? The Hogwarts horse. I’ll have to ask Hagrid and Kettleburn but it should be fine. Then it won’t be a favorite’s thing. It’ll just be a Hogwarts horse.” 

“You’re a blessing Minerva”

“Don’t say that until it’s done.”

oOo

“Can’t say I’ll miss Polo” Carlyle said “But Harry. Him I’ll miss” 

“He’ll come back to see you I’m sure. He quite likes you” Ted said as they watched Minerva transport the horse to Hogwarts. 

Harry ran up and hugged Carlyle’s legs “I’ll be back Carlyle. No telling what’ll happen after Hogwarts. Not to mention I’d miss you long before I ever left” 

Ted laughed “Told you so” 

Carlyle wasn’t even that old. He was nineteen and had grown up on the land he now owned. His biological parents, purebloods, had sent him off to a squib orphanage. He’d been there until he was ten, then was adopted by an older couple who had no children of their own. His father had shown him how to work with the horses and when he passed away two years ago Carlyle had taken over.

His mother, after losing her love, battled cancer for a year and a half before succumbing to the disease. Two months later, his father’s favorite type of horse, a challenge, had taken to the young raven. And Carlyle’s heart wasn’t far behind. 

oOo

It was the weekend and the Headmistress had allowed Harry to come visit the thestrals. After a brief stop at the Hufflepuff common room to say hi to Dora she led the boy to Hagrid’s hut. 

They weren’t even out the door when the horse of Hogwarts, known too few as Polo, came trotting up to them. 

Harry giggled. “I missed you too Polo. I’ll be coming daily hopefully, like at Carlyle’s. But I had to stay home. I was sick” he said to the horse. 

Minerva honestly though Andy had been mistaken. That the horse hated everyone. She’d gotten him from the stables and he’d been aloof since. While he loved roaming the vast grounds, none of the students could go near him. He barely put up with Kettleburn, who fed him. 

But before her very eyes the aloof and scared beast turned into a cuddly loving pet. Harry Tonks never ceased to amaze. 

“Come Polo. We’ll introduce you to Hagrid” and again to Minerva’s astonishment the beast followed its young rider, who stopped after two steps. “Am I going the right way?” He asked which took her out of her stupor. 

“Sorry. This way” she said as she took his hand. 

Neither noticed hundreds of pairs of eyes watching the three in astonishment from the castle. 

“McGonagall” Hagrid greeted then stopped at the sight of the horse. “How’d you get beasty here to follow you?”

Harry giggled “this is Polo Mr. Hagrid. He’s my horse. But that’s a secret. I’m Harry Tonks, I came to see the thestrals” he said hopefully. 

Hagrid looked at the boy with pity. “Hopefully you can’t see them” 

“Oh.” Harry exclaimed and McGonagall cursed herself. She didn’t explain well enough to Hagrid it seemed. “Mr. Hagrid. I can’t see at all. But I can feel some magical creatures in a weird way” 

Hagrid made a face “like goblins and house elves?”

Harry scrunched his nose “unfortunately no. Not Goblins and house elves. But Thestrals and magical plants, so far” he said one hand in McGonagall’s and one on his horse. 

“Strange” Hagrid said. “Well this way then. Not sure if they get along with horses” he muttered to himself. 

McGonagall had been able to see the thestrals, she had seen them after the first war. It was startling at the time. But what she had never seen was one willingly walk up to a human that held no meat. And she most definitely had never seen one nuzzle, NUZZLE, a human!

“Hello” The youngest Tonks said. “Would you introduce me to your friends?” He asked and a skeletal wing fit itself behind the boys back before leading him to the newest colt. Harry reached out his hand. “Oh!” He exclaimed. “A baby”

McGonagall walked with growing fascination as the young boy was led around the herd, introduced to each member. “Is that all?” He asked the first one who bowed its head “Polo!” he called out. The horse dutifully went to him and seemed to be sized up by the herd. “This is Polo, friend” Harry said putting a hand on each muzzle. The thestral bumped the horse with its head. Harry smiled. 

“Okay.” He said as he walked away from them both. “Hagrid? McGonagall?” He called out and the headmistress went to him. “He’s part of the herd now”

McGonagall smiled. “I think Kettleburn will like you Harry”

oOo

Harry went daily to visit his horse, sometimes Dora would be seen with the two, and other times he’d be alone. Kreacher, was made a member of the staff of Hogwarts so that Harry had free reign to come and go as he pleased, Kreacher was not expected to do any work, he just was keyed into the wards.

Harry quite liked Kettleburn. Kettleburn was apparently also a Hufflepuff, and he let Harry meet some of the magical creatures on his daily trips to the castle. Kettleburn was annoyed that Polo didn’t like him, until he saw the horse shun even Harry’s closest friends. The only other person allowed near him was Dora, and only when her brother was present. If anyone else was with Harry the horse would make himself scarce.

Kettleburn was quite astonished to see the thestrals get along with the horse, and to see the boy get along with the Thestrals. He told Minerva as much, and hoped that Harry would come back the next year. They’d have to talk with his parents of course, but he was pretty sure they’d say yes.

oOo

For his present at Yule Harry asked if Carlyle could join them. His parents were all too happy to agree.

“Thank you for inviting me” Carlyle said. “How’s Polo?”

“Fine, I think he’ll need his hooves trimmed soon.” Harry said, “Can you do that? You can come to Hogwarts and meet his herd!”

“His herd?” Carlyle asked.

“Harry introduced Polo to the thestral herd when he visited” Dora said. “Apparently they took him under their wings, literally.”

“What’s a thestral?” Carlyle asked. Harry ran off, Carlyle was always amazed at how well the boy moved.

“Here” Harry handed him a book. “It’s a loan from Professor Sprout, I’m sure she won’t mind you reading it.”

Carlyle looked at the book in shock, he knew it to be magical. “Thanks Harry”

“You’re welcome. Polo quite likes them. He doesn’t like the students though” the face Harry made had everyone in stitches. “What?” Harry asked innocently.

“Presents” Andy said without preamble.

“Oh!” Harry exclaimed. “Open mine first!” He said as he sat on the floor next to Kreacher.

Carlyle was surprised to have one from Harry as well, but he didn’t understand. “Harry?”

“Yes?”

“I’m a squib you know.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t use a wand.”

“Not a normal wand, no.”

Carlyle cocked his head at the child.

“I think squibs aren’t necessarily without magic, but rather are good with one subject, not enough magic to ‘count’ in the wizarding world. And certainly not enough to get through school. So we have to find your subject” Harry said. “I think its magical creatures, but it could just as likely be something else.”

“But-“ Carlyle began.

“Don’t argue” Dora said. “He made that especially for you”

Carlyle looked at the wand in question. “What?”

“I made it” Harry said. “It’s Yew, seven inches, the core is experimental” He said. “It just felt like you when I found it in the forest” Harry said.

“Thank you” Carlyle said. “What’s the carving?”

“I think it’s Celtic, but I don’t know. Ollivander carved what I saw, he said it was very short.” Harry said.

Carlyle watched as Kreacher opened Harry’s gifts for him. He got a surprising amount of books.

“He has a reading device” Dora had whispered to him at one point in the evening. “And a drawing one, would you like to see a drawing of his?” He had nodded.

“It’s a thestral, or what Harry sees a thestral as” Dora said as she handed over a drawing, it looked similar to a horse, although mostly made up of lines, including a skeleton and wings. Most of the drawing was the skeleton only a few red lines thrown in.

Carlyle left the Tonks’ household that night feeling like a member of the family. They were accepting of him and his past, and Harry especially was a kind-hearted boy. He hoped he could spend more time with him.


	3. 1986

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to write this. Like I said, this is sort of a pet project right now. I hope this lives up to everyone's expectations. A couple of people had said that they didn't understand Dumbledore's suicide, so that's mentioned in here. Harry gets a surprise too.
> 
> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 4-5th Year  
> Dora- 2-3rd Year  
> Charlie- 2nd-3rd Year  
> Gemma Farley- 1st year (will be important later)

“Mum?” Harry asked.

“What is it love?”

“Do you think that Carlyle can come to Hogwarts with me to visit Polo and trim his hooves?”

“We can ask McGonagall, I’ll teach you how to use the floo.”

Andromeda grabbed Harry’s hand. “Here’s the powder, we throw it into the floo okay?”

Harry nodded, took some powder and threw it in front of him.

“Now call out Headmistress McGonagall’s office.”

“Headmistress McGonagall’s office.”

“Now bend over.”

“Minerva!” Andromeda called out.

“Oh, hello Andy, Harry. What can I do for you?” Minerva asked.

“Harry was hoping to bring Carlyle to Hogwarts so he could tend to Polo’s hooves, would that be alright?”

“Of course, Kreacher can get him passed the wards.”

“Thank you Minerva”

“Thanks headmistress.”

“Harry.”

“Yes?”

“If you should like, you can call me _Maimeó_ , I knew your biological parents and I believe I may be the closest you’ll get to a grandmother.”

“What do grandmas do?”

“They help their grandchildren get into mischief” Minerva said with a smile.

Harry looked to be thinking it over. “Can I still call you that when I come to Hogwarts?”

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t” Minerva said.

“Okay Maimeó, thank you” Harry said with a large smile.

Minerva let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t known if Harry would accept, she had asked Andromeda and Ted if it was alright, but to have a grandson was extremely overwhelming, not to mention that basically made Dora her granddaughter.

“Professor Sprout, would you send Tonks to my office please?” She asked through the floo.

“Hello Headmistress.” Tonks said when she got to her office.

“Hi Tonks. I just wanted to let you know that I have asked your brother to call me Maimeó, grandma. You may do the same if you wish.”

“Headmistress, I already have a grandma. She passed last year, but I knew her before that. Is it alright if you’re just Harry’s grandma?” Tonks asked.

“Of course, but the option will always be there, should you want it.”

“Thank you headmistress.”

oOo

Carlyle was accompanying Harry and Kreacher to Hogwarts today. He was excited but also nervous. Squibs generally weren’t well received within the wizarding world. The pull of apparition, at least that’s what Kreacher called it, was rather unnerving.

But when he saw the landscape he couldn’t help but think that the whole ordeal was worth it. He had his wand, he never went anywhere without it, mostly because it was from Harry.

“Harry!” Carlyle could see Dora walking down from the Castle with the woman who’d taken Polo.

“Hi Dora!” Harry called back, one hand in Kreachers and the other in Carlyle’s.

“Hello Harry” McGonagall called out.

“Maimeó! Where are Kettleburn and Hagrid?” Harry asked.

“Kettleburn is in the forest, Hagrid is tending some trees.” McGonagall said.

“Are you coming with us?” Harry asked, it was funny he was looking slightly to the left of the women.

“Yeah little brother” Dora said. “This is Headmistress McGonagall, Carlyle.” Dora motioned to the woman.

“Nice to meet you” He said.

“You as well.”

“How’s it going Dora?” Carlyle asked, he saw the woman with her start at something, but didn’t pay it any mind. The woman began to lead the way into the forest.

“Quite good Carlyle, it’s been a fun year, plus you all are here now. Did you bring your wand?”

“I don’t go anywhere without it” Carlyle said and Harry had a small smile on his face.

“Apologies, I thought you were a squib” McGonagall said.

“I am, but Harry made a wand for me for Christmas.” Carlyle said to the woman.

“Harry I didn’t know you were into wand making.” McGonagall said.

“Yeah. I rode a broom with Bill, but wands are easier to see” Harry said.

McGonagall looked to Dora in question. “He could tell the difference between the brooms, but we didn’t think that they’d want to share the spells they cast on them, so Charlie recommended wands” Dora said with a shrug.

“Could I see it?” McGonagall asked Carlyle hopefully. He reluctantly handed the wand over. “Oh!” she exclaimed looking at the wand in detail. “What’s the core?”

Harry looked down at his feet. “An Abraxan feather.” McGonagall’s mouth dropped open.

“Where did you get an abraxan feather?”

“The Headmistress of Beauxbatons breeds them. I asked Kettleburn about them and he sent her an owl. Kreacher took me there. You have to pick it yourself or it won’t work as well.”

“You are a marvel Harry”

Harry smiled then was distracted by Polo coming up to him. “Polo, look its Carlyle, he’s going to trim your hooves” The horse nuzzled into his riders chest. “Where’s Asher?”

The horse pushed him along to the thestral colt.

“Wow, Harry your drawing was surprisingly accurate” Carlyle said.

“Really? They actually look like that?” Harry asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I mean not the red part, but the rest, yes” Carlyle said. Harry beamed.

“What’s red?” Harry asked.

Carlyle could have cursed himself. He sometimes forgot that the boy was blind, the magic helped him so much. “It’s a color, though I assume you’re not going to be able to learn those.”

“I dunno. We could ask Fred and George” Dora said.

Harry shrugged.

“Harry! There’s my favorite child!” a man came up and touched Harry on the shoulder. “I see the colt likes you.”

“Asher” Harry said.

“Sorry?” the man asked.

“The colts name is Asher.” Harry specified. “And this is Carlyle, he’s here to help with Polo. Carlyle this is Professor Kettleburn.”

“Nice to meet you” Carlyle said.

“Good luck with that horse, he hates everyone.”

Carlyle laughed. “I know, he used to be mine.” Polo chose that moment to walk up to Carlyle and look at him like he needed something. “I know, your hooves are too long princess, I’m getting to it.” He said to the horse.

Kettleburn’s jaw was on the floor. Carlyle got out his trimming kit and started to work on the hooves.

“Why not just use magic?” Kettleburn asked.

“I’m a squib.”

“But you have a wand”

“Harry made it” McGonagall cut it. “I think he’s going to be a force in theory of magic.”

“Thanks Maimeó” Harry said and Kettleburn started.

“I’m so confused.” He said.

“When are you not?” McGonagall asked him.

oOo

Carlyle joined the Tonks that night for dinner.

“How did you like Hogwarts?” Andromeda asked him.

“It’s gorgeous” He said.

Carlyle noted that Harry was busy with Kreacher. “Harry’s special even in the wizarding world isn’t he?”

Ted and Andromeda nodded.

“Why can’t they fix his eyesight?” Carlyle asked the question that had been bugging him forever.

“Eyes are hard in the first place, but Harry’s were messed up with a dark curse, an unforgivable. They can’t be fixed, Gamp’s Law.” Andromeda said.

“He’s going to have a lot to overcome at Hogwarts, which is why we’re allowing him to visit so often, and he’s already working on the first year curriculum. He’s going to have a lot of trouble along the way.” Ted said.

“Well, if you ever need a muggle brain to bounce things off of, I’m here.” Carlyle said.

“Right now we’re having an issue with timing, and flame levels for potions.” Andromeda said.

“Well, I think that there are clocks that speak the time aloud…Muggle ovens have some sort of temperature gauge, could you modify that?”

Ted and Andromeda looked like they had just been gifted the world, and maybe they had. “Thank you Carlyle, we’ll have to look into both of those.”

oOo

Before Dora came home for the summer Harry spent a lot of time with Ron and Ginny. Fred and George were adapting some stuff that Carlyle had talked to them about. Ron loved the Chudley cannons, though they rarely won anything. Ron was good friends with a few people from his primary school, and was hanging out with them one day, so Harry was left with Ginny, not that he minded.

“Harry, how do you draw?” She asked him out of the blue while they were playing with her kneazle.

“Scribblescrabble, Fred and George made it for me”

“Oh, so that’s’ how you draw wands?”

“Yeah.”

“Will you make my wand?”

“I’ll keep an eye out if you’d like.” Harry said.

“I would very much like that.”

oOo

Since Harry had spent so much time at Hogwarts it meant that he had a little work to do over the summer. Mom and Dad said he was pretty quick at things, so in the morning, before Dora got up he’d work on his schoolwork. After that he and Dora would either go to the park, visit the Weasley’s or visit Hogwarts. Dora once again let him use her school books, but he didn’t know how he was going to get over the issue of casting at things when he was at Hogwarts.

oOo

Maimeo asked him to come to Hogwarts to meet a specific portrait before school was back in session. Mum insisted on going with him and so did Dora.

“You ready love?” Mum asked.

“Yes mum”

Kreacher quickly apparated them through the wards.

“Harry!”

“Maimeo!” Harry called out, “Where are you?” A hand was in his. He hugged the legs of the woman, who quickly picked him up.

“I wanted you to meet someone rather special” Maimeo said, Mum scoffed at that. “He’s a little misunderstood, but he wanted to meet you.”

Harry smiled in answer to that.

“This is the portrait of Headmaster Dumbledore.” Maimeo said.

“Hello” Harry greeted.

“Greetings, my boy.” A man’s voice said. “I didn’t expect quite the entourage with you.”

“Yeah they insisted on coming, but they can leave if you’d like” Harry said and mum scoffed again.

“No matter, better to tell you all in one sitting.” Harry assumed that was the portrait again. “Minerva, maybe some tea and chairs?”

Harry was quickly sat on Maimeo’s lap with a crunchy cookie.

“First of all. I would like to apologize for where I placed you, Harry.”

“It’s okay.” Harry said.

“No it’s really not.” Dumbledore said.

“Yes it is. I met Kreacher cause I was at Privet, then he took me to Bogrod, who led me to mum, Dad and Dora. It all turned out okay in the end.” Harry said.

“It’s not even close to the end, dear boy, but I will tell you what you need to hear.” Dumbledore said.

“I grew up in Godric’s hollow, where your parents died. One summer a boy came to stay with his aunt. This boy would later come to be known as one of the darkest wizards in history. However, back then, he was just Gellart.

Gellart and I, we were good friends, and soon he realized my secret. Remember this, for it will be important. We both obsessed over three items, the deathly hallows. We made plans to find them, however my younger brother Aberforth, told us this was impossible. A duel of three ensued, and my sister was killed in the process.

My sister was my closest friend, my confidant. I thought we would grow old, she would marry and I would live next door to my nieces and nephews, but her life was cut short at the age 14. I never forgave Gellart for that, and we lost our friendship.

Over time, Gellart grew in power, becoming darker and darker, everyone believed I would be the only one to be able to stop him, I procrastinated but ultimately did. In the process I gained the possession of the elder wand, one of the deathly hallows.

What many did not realize, was that I loved Gellart, with all my heart and his defeat at my hands nearly killed me. But my agony was not to end then. Another Dark lord rose, and I was made a leader in the fight against him. I should have realized the signs of course, I’d seen them before. But I didn’t.

My inability to see the darkness in one boy led to hundreds of deaths, including that of your parents. It was one thing to lose a crush, but another to lose your pupils. They were the closest thing I would ever have to children, and they were gone before me.

That left you, along with a prophecy and I thought you would be safe in the muggle world. That is until your mum, Andromeda, came to the ministry. You, the boy-who-lived, the child of two of my favorite pupils, two of the people who died because of my inability to open my eyes, were abused for the beginning of your life. You were abused because, once again, I failed to see the evil within someone.

I made so many mistakes in my life. I lived just under a century. That was enough. My choices, my impact, I could no longer stand to make such mistakes. Grave mistakes, mistakes that hurt my very being. “For the Greater Good” I thought. But no longer, I could no longer continue with my life with such choices in front of me. Sacrifices will be made for the next dark wizard for he will come, and I did not want to be a part of it. I could not be a part of it. I could not manipulate you, a boy, a child.

And so I took the only way out that I could. And I’m sorry for leaving you all to deal with this war, but one dark wizard in a lifetime is enough and I saw two.”

“Why are you telling him this? He’s just a boy!” Mum said.

“And therein lays the problem. I could never see Harry as just a boy while I lived. To me, he was a means to an end, a weapon, a powerful wizard, a child of prophecy. Never just a boy, a child, a life. I could not subject him to the life I would have envisioned. I could not continue on the path that I had lay for myself.” Dumbledore said.

There was silence for a moment.

“I think, that more discussion of this topic should wait until they’re older” Maimeo said.

“Thank you Mr. Dumbledore. I appreciate you talking to me.” Harry said.

“No, dear boy. I appreciate you listening.”

Harry didn’t know why, but when they got home mum stormed off and left him with Dora.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her.

“Mum’s upset, not with you, but the situation.” Dora said. “She sees what Dumbledore did as terrible but also realizes if it hadn’t been that way, we wouldn’t have you.”

oOo

Harry was once again aboard the Hogwarts Express with his sister. He stayed for the feast this time and Dora told him that the first years were staring at him with interest. He cheered with the rest of the Hufflepuffs when someone got into their house. Harry thought himself a Hufflepuff in most ways.

“I have a special announcement” McGonagall’s voice sounded from the front. “Professor Kettleburn has decided to take on a young apprentice, who shows great skill with magical creatures. Harry Tonks will be this apprentice, and will likely be found with any of the creatures on the ground.” There was a collective gasp from the older years. “He has access to the entirety of Hogwarts, he will not be sorted until such time that he becomes a student, but he will be taking the tests from Care of Magical Creatures to see if they are accurate.”

There was excited chattering among the hall. “For the first years, and any oblivious student, Harry Tonks is currently seated at the Hufflepuff table with his sister. He’s six.” Clapping broke out and quickly overwhelmed the hall.

He went home after the feast and fell into bed.

oOo

“Kreacher?” Harry asked into the perpetual darkness that was his life.

“Yes, Harry”

“Do you think the older kids will like me?”

“I do young master”

“Do you think I can make it at Hogwarts?”

“Of course, and I will help you.”

“Thank you Kreacher.”

oOo

Harry’s time at Hogwarts was more structured now. He was glad to be working with Kettleburn, outside, away from the moving staircases. It also seemed as though his extra-curricular reading had done some good. His entire family had known of his interest in magical creatures, which led them to buying a ton of books on them. He knew more than even the fifth years, who were taking this class for the third year in a row.

The first couple of tests were awkward, Harry wouldn’t go to class those days, they usually used a classroom that was filled with dust for most of the year. Kettleburn instead stood with Maimeo in her office while Harry took the test orally. Questions about thestrals, Hippogriphs, and Unicorns.

He’d done well, according to Kettleburn at least which led to both his mum and dad being called in over the weekend.

oOo

 “Hello Andy, Ted”

“Minerva, how are you?” Ted asked.

“I’m good and you?”

“Fine, fine. Why did you call us in?”

“Well, Kettleburn brought it to my attention that Harry is currently top of the Care of Magical Creatures class, and I was wondering if you would be willing to have him sit for the OWLS and NEWTs, it would likely help us adapt the test for him in the future. And if he passes, it’s one less class he has to take in the school year.”

“Are we sure that’s not too much pressure?” Andy asked.

“I don’t think so, he genuinely enjoys learning” Minerva said.

“It couldn’t hurt, right? He could take them again without penalty in the future?” Ted asked.

“Yes of course.” Minerva said.

“Then let’s do it, we have to work around the tests at some point. Now’s as good a time as any.”

oOo

The other good thing about Hogwarts? He got to see Professor Sprout, and Professor Snape and Kreacher had house elf friends.

Sprout was a very kind lady, she led him around the greenhouses when she wasn’t teaching, and let him feel the plants. Identifying them was getting easier, however he wasn’t sure how he was going to work with the ones that were touchier. If he couldn’t touch them, he couldn’t see them, and that meant he couldn’t do anything with them.

Snape, well he was Snape. There was no way to describe him. He wasn’t very nice, but he wasn’t necessarily mean. He had a way about him, his voice held reprimand, but also tips. He still owed Harry a cauldron, but he was saving that for school.

oOo

Once again Carlyle joined them for Yule. He was basically a part of their family now, Harry’s older brother. He’d yet to use his wand but Harry didn’t mind, he had just wanted him to have it.

Yule wasn’t really about presents for the Tonks family, it was about remembering their year together, and looking ahead. Of course they exchanged small gifts with each other, and the Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley had given them each a Weasley sweater, Harry’s was so soft.

Harry was looking forward to the spring, he loved Hogwarts and the Professors. Dora was there and so was Polo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a few things I haven't settled on yet.  
> 1\. Who should Carlyle end up with? My choices are currently: Kettleburn, Dora, or Charlie. (also possibly Remus).  
> 2\. How many classes should Harry have completed before he attends Hogwarts? Currently at least COMC will be done but I'm debating Divination and possibly ancient runes.  
> 3\. How should Harry's casting be affected by his blindness?
> 
> Also Maimeo is Gaelic for grandma. There is a more formal name but I liked this one. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for sticking with this story. It might end up pretty long so I hope y'all stay with it.


	4. 1987

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 5-6th Year  
> Dora- 3-4th Year  
> Charlie- 3-4th Year  
> Gemma Farley- 1-2nd (will be important later)  
> Percy- 1st Year  
> Oliver Wood- 1st Year  
> Penelope Clearwater- 1st Year

After Yule, things became more serious in regards to classes. Some of the students were taking the NEWTS and OWLs. They’d asked him to sit for both the OWLS and the NEWTS to gauge the level of understanding.

He’d asked Dora if she’d minded. She told him it was better since he’d have to deal with less classes when he actually came as a student.

Dora had decided against taking care of magical creatures for her third year, instead taking Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, which meant she didn’t have much time for him.

Kettle burn’s classes became more and more interesting with the study of Doxies and the Giant squid.

The giant squid was actually quite nice, Harry learned. One day he was riding Polo across the grounds just before the sun rose, or so Kreacher told him. He’d been fine until Polo was spooked by something and ended up sinking into the mud at the bottom of the great lake, which meant they were stuck, But before Harry even needed to call for help the squid had carefully pulled him off the horse and lay him on the side of the lake. Next thing he knew Polo was beside him and the squid ruffled his hair with a tentacle, leaving behind a trail of slime.

oOo

Harry was there for each and every class that Kettleburn taught that year. The man was worried that he’d fall behind in regular school work, but Harry would make it up that summer. He’d already finished the school year he was in.

By the end of the year he’d read all of the books on magical creatures. Thank merlin for Newt Scamander, there’d been little writing on the care of magical creatures before him.

oOo

The NEWTs and OWLs were difficult, there was a practical part, which wasn’t actually that bad. For the OWLs he’d needed to work with the Doxies to get them back in a cage. Doxies were unbelievably troublesome creatures, however they had a soft spot for honey. Since Harry did not have a wand he was allowed to ask the professors for help conjuring things, and so he asked Kettleburn to conjure a jar of honey which he then put in the cage with the help of a Hogwarts house elf named Roully. He was not allowed Kreacher or Tinky, since they were loyal to him, and Roully would likely not be allowed to help him again.

The Doxies had all gone into the cage with a trill of happiness when they saw the honey and he easily closed the door. Kettleburn told him that he was impressed, but the board said nothing.

The theoretical part, the next day, was harder. They asked him at least twenty questions, which he had to answer in depth, when he got out it turned out to be three hours later.

The NEWTS were even worse, scheduled for the day after the OWLs, thestrals were involved. Unfortunately since Harry was known to have a bond with the thestral herd from Hogwarts, they took him to a different testing location. Luckily the herd head, who was dubbed “Doom” by his caretaker, though that was not his actual name, took a shining to young Harry. Now thestrals are interesting beings, this herd was smaller than the one at Hogwarts and had slightly different magic, so he’d asked Robert Jones, the caretaker if he could come back.

Once again the theoretical portion was awful, when he’d come out six hours had passed.

He felt bad for the other students. Just the one OWL and NEWT was difficult, he couldn’t imagine five to seven of them at once. Now he just had to wait for his scores.

oOo

The summer led to a new discovery that was sure to change Harry’s life. Apparently, in the muggle world there was an invention called The Pen friend. What you did was you labeled all of your jars of ingredients and when you pointed the pen at the jar it would read out a pre-recorded message, which allowed Harry to more easily choose each jar. He could tell by scent and touch, but this was quicker.

Then there were also talking thermometers, weighing scale, and jugs. Those helped with measuring. The problem was, he would never know the flame level and they couldn’t modify anything muggle because they had ovens. So it was a whole new issue, but the twins were able to take each of the devices and hook them up to a modified hearing aid, bypassing the audio directly to his ear.

In order to makes sure that this would be okay with Snape, Harry insisted that they visit the castle and ask him about it.

oOo

Severus Snape had met Harry Tonks nearly two years ago now. The boy had shown skill in Care of magical creatures and it was said that he would be attending Hogwarts when he reached that age. He was dreading the day, for although Harry was able to easily discern ingredients, he didn’t think the boy would be able to brew, and was anticipating a lot of melted cauldrons.

So it was to his great surprise that in the summer after Tonks’ third year her brother asked for a meeting with him to ask his advice.

Harry was led in by the house elf Kreacher, and another one seemed to be following behind them.

“Professor Snape?” Harry asked.

“Over here, Harry.” Severus said from his desk. “We’ll get you set up at the front so I may be of help.” Severus honestly didn’t know why the boy was here though.

“Thank you professor.” Harry said and Kreacher placed his bag on the table in front of him. “I just had a couple of questions, so that when I attend I don’t disrupt your class.”

Severus raised an eyebrow and then remembered that the boy couldn’t see it. “Alright.”

Kreacher and the other house elf started to pull thing out of the boy’s bag.

“Mr. Tonks, you will need to do that yourself when you get here. Maybe you should start now?” Severus stated.

“Sorry Professor Snape, I hurt myself yesterday” The boy held up a hand with a scratch on it “Mum insisted that Kreacher help me, and when I got here Tinky decided that she was going to keep me safe as well. Roully also wanted to join us, but I thought that was too much.”

Severus raised an eyebrow at that as well. He didn’t even know one of the house elves names that lived in the castle. “Would you like me to get Madam Pomfrey to heal that for you?”

“No” Harry said. “Sorry, she acts weird around me, probably because she’s my main healer.”

“Your main healer?” Severus asked.

“Yes, ever since I was almost four. I took a liking to her, but she’s very strict.” Harry said.

“We is done young master.” Kreacher said.

“Thank you Kreacher.” Harry said. “I’m going to explain what these do and I want you to tell me whether or not they’ll be a bother” He directed it at Severus, slightly to the left but reasonably close.

“Of course Mr. Tonks”

Harry picked up a strange metal thing, with a plastic bit at the end that was larger than the stick part. “This is a talking cooking thermometer, its muggle. It works with potions, I’ve tried it.”

Next was a kind of bowl with a large base. The bowl seemed to be glass and the base was a shiny black. “This is a talking scale, so that I may measure the dry ingredients.”

Another thing that Severus actually recognizes as a liquid measuring cup, but the handle was not the same glass as the cup, instead being made of red plastic “This is a measuring jug for the liquid ingredients.”

Finally a regular muggle pen “This is called the Pen Friend, I have pre-recorded messages on it. Look.”

Harry pointed the pen at a jar that he brought with him “Dung Beetles, dried” the pen read out.

“Well, that will be disruptive.” Severus said aloud.

“It’s not on the correct setting, I just wanted to show you want it did.” Harry took the think and turned the cap. He pointed it again and no noise came from the contraption. “The twins, you may know their brothers, Charlie, and Bill? They bypassed the main audio so it goes to these” Harry took something out of his ear.

Severus stood there gaping at the incredible young man that stood there. “And the flame levels?” He asked.

“Ah, the one thing that we have been unable to figure out, I’m sure it’ll be done in time for me to attend, though if you have any ideas?”

Severus thought for a second. “None as of right now, but I will think on it.” Harry nodded. “None of these things will be disruptive, except for the fact that they take up a little more space than the average students materials. I assume you will be bringing your own ingredients?”

Harry nodded.

“I would like whatever it is you need me to stick on it for the potions cabinet, there may be obscure ingredients that you will not want to buy, yes?” Severus asked.

“Thank you professor Snape.”

“Yes, of course. Now I think it’s time you pack up and head home, I’m sure that Tonks is missing you by now.”

Harry smiled and was quickly gone. Severus was left stunned, amazed by the young boy who was working around such a great problem.

oOo

It was mid-July when Harry got his results from the OWLs and NEWTS back.

“Dora?” He asked.

“Yes, little brother?” Dora said.

“Would you open this and read them to me.”

“Of course. Which first?”

“The OWLs.” Harry stated.

“Harry Tonks, born July 31st, 1980. Tested in Care of Magical Creatures June 5th to June 6th 1987, OWL level. We are pleased to inform Mr. Harry Tonks of an O on his OWL level exams. O stands for Outstanding and is the highest achievable grade. Sincerely, the Board of Directors.” Dora read aloud. “Congratulations Harry! I knew you could do it!”

Harry smiled.

“Okay here’s the NEWTs.” Dora said with a scrunched nose, she was worried this result wouldn’t be as good. “Hey, wait a second, why didn’t you just use babblesworth?”

“Because I wanted to hear it from you, and I wanted you to hear at the same time as me.”

Dora smiled, “Alright. Harry Tonks, born July 31st, 1980. Tested in Care of Magical Creatures, June 7th to June 8th, 1987, NEWT level. We are pleased to inform Mr. Harry Tonks of an O on his NEWT level exams. O stands for Outstanding and is the highest achievable grade. Sincerely, the Board of Directors.” Dora looked at the paper for a second before a huge grin broke out across her face. “My brother is a genius! A genius I tell you!” She said as she got up, picked Harry off the couch and spun him in a circle.

“It’s probably just luck Dora. I was completely immersed in the subject” Harry said.

“No, little brother, you have a talent. Wait till mum and dad hear about it!” Dora said.

She went to go off and grab them, but the floo rang. “Hello?” She said into the flames. “McGonagall!”

“May I step through my dear?” Minerva asked.

“Of course”

Minerva stepped through the floo and looked around. Her sight landed on Harry “Harry!” She went over to the boy and swung him around. “You are amazing. O’s on both tests! We should all go to Fortescue’s to celebrate!”

“What’s all this commotion” Ted asked as he and Andy came out from their room, it was only seven on a Saturday.

“My grandson got O’s on both his OWLs and NEWTs” Minerva said.

“Maimeo, how did you know? I’ve only shared with Dora.” Harry said.

“The headmistress gets the scores from all of her students, even you.” Minerva said. “So, a day in Diagon to celebrate?” Minerva asked.

“Sounds like a plan, but how about breakfast first” Andy said.

“Can we visit Bogrod?” Harry asked.

“Of course” Ted answered.

“Oh! And Gerrick! I have a whole bag full of wands that I need him to make for me.” Harry said. “Still haven’t found Ginny’s, which is rather unfortunate.”

oOo

The first place they went was Gringotts, Andy nearly had a heart attack when she saw her sister there with her son, but luckily the Tonks family was taken to a private room pretty quickly and avoided a rather explosive meeting.

Bogrod was very glad to see Harry and was ecstatic to learn that Harry did wear the compass every day, though he had yet to get lost.

Harry asked Bogrod something rather special, which took Brumeck to approve. He wanted to see if he could see the magic of Gringotts. He’d been there multiple times, but had never dared to touch the walls.

Brumeck and Bogrod were astounded when Harry was able to tell them the exact number of vaults, levels, and even carts within Gringotts, though they asked him not to share the information.

“Bogrod?” Harry asked.

“Yes?” Bogrod replied.

“Whatever is in Vault 713 does not feel right…I don’t think that it should be here…I don’t know what it is, but…” Harry stopped talking. “Sorry for intruding, there seems to be an allure to that object, I don’t like it…”

Harry looked extremely drained after that confession and the Goblins had shared a look, but said nothing. Deciding that sugar may help his energy level Minerva led the way to Fortescue’s.

After a little Ice cream, chocolate of course, Harry seemed a lot better and so they moved on to Ollivander’s.

“Mr. Ollivander!” Dora called out as they stepped into the stop.

“Ah! The Tonks Family, and Minerva McGonagall, it has been a while.” Garrick said. “What do you have this time my boy.” He asked Harry.

“Can we go back to my workshop?” Harry asked. Minerva shot Andy a look but the woman just shrugged. “Come Maimeo, Garrick gave me my own space so that I can leave things here and he knows what spells to cast on which piece of wood.” The boy dragged her through the shop, easily avoiding fallen wand boxes.

The room she was led to did not belong in a shop of Ollivander’s, the walls were lined with shelves and drawings. One drawing per piece of wood along with a wand core written on the drawing. It was immaculate, with a table in the center, she assumed that was where Garrick cast the spells to form the wand. There was one shelving unit labeled “Cores” and each box had a label on it, including abraxen fathers, thestral hairs, and even a doxy hair.

“This is beautiful Harry!” Minerva said.

“Thank you Maimeo. Dora?” Harry said.

“Yes, I’ll help, just lay them out and I’ll put them away” Dora said and Harry and her began to work in sync, he would put a drawing with a piece of wood down on the table, Dora would take both tacking the drawing to the wall and then placing the piece of wood in front of it. Over and over again until the bag was empty.

“Garrick said that I should make my own boxes, but I don’t really have an eye for design. So I asked Dora, I think she has a couple prototypes” Harry said. Minerva noticed that Ted and Andy were sitting in two chairs by a window, probably there specifically for them.

Dora smiled “Here McGonagall” she said as she put three boxes in front of her. “I figured we would have them boxed by core."

“Abraxan feather core” She said as she pointed to a box, amber in color, with a light beige feather on the top, and H&D Tonks written in script along the side of the box.

“Unicorn Hair” She pointed to an iridescent white box with a matte white line that curled along the top of the box, the same H&D Tonks on the side.

“Phoenix feather” The box was matte grey at one end, and went to a beautiful red and orange fire at the other, a black feather overlaying the top, and the H&D Tonks that Minerva now knew represented their brand.

“Dragon Heartstring, we haven’t quite figured out yet, does the breed matter? We don’t know. Garrick doesn’t think so but we’d like to represent the breeds in our boxes.” Dora said.

“Brilliant” Minerva said. “Simply brilliant.”

“Thank you” Dora said with a slight blush.

“Yes thank you Maimeo, I have no clue what they look like, of course. But I trust Dora” Harry said.

oOo

Mum and Dad had invited Maimeo to dinner that night, an entire day of family was just what Harry needed.

“Harry” Maimeo said while they were eating.

“Yes Maimeo?”

“I would like for you to take another elective next year. Of course you can continue to help Kettleburn when you aren’t in that one class.”

“Dora?” Harry asked, he needed her help.

“I think you’d enjoy ancient runes. I certainly did. There would likely be enough magical information for you to succeed, however they may have to take you to the ministry to see the actual objects. I’m sure the other students wouldn’t mind a field trip” Dora said.

“You’re alright with me taking another one?” Harry asked, he didn’t want to ruin Hogwarts for his sister.

“Of course not, little brother. You still have to take potions, defense against the dark arts, herbology, transfiguration, charms, astronomy, and history of magic for your base courses. And then in first year you’ll have to learn to fly, unless of course McGonagall can get you out of it.” Dora said.

“I hadn’t even thought of flying yet.” Maimeo admitted. “I will think on it, Harry.”

Harry smiled.

oOo

That year, since Ginny was six, she was allowed to have her first birthday at the Burrow. Molly had believed her too young before then and so she invited her entire class from elementary. Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Dora had gone off somewhere and Harry was introduced to an entire gaggle of new people.

The rest of the kids were off playing a game while Harry sat with some sticks that Ginny had gathered for him.

“Hello” He heard from a dreamy voice beside him.

“Hi, I’m Harry.” He said.

“I’m Luna, did you realize that you have a nest of Blibbering Humdingers in your hair?”

“No I didn’t, are they of the magical variety?”

“Yes, of course”

“I don’t know why I can’t feel them then…” Harry heard no answer and ran a hand through his hair carefully, but he did not feel even one Blibbering Humdinger. He figured the girl had left, but was intrigued by her knowledge. It frustrated him deeply that the girl could see such creatures and he could not.

oOo

Harry, because he would be attending a course as a student, had to buy robes. Maimeo refused to sort him yet, stating that since he was only taking electives he didn’t need a house, and so his robes were fitted with the Hogwarts crest. He didn’t have to wear them while working with Kettleburn, which was good because they were itchy. Unfortunately, he did have to brave the moving staircases this year.

Now this year was rather exciting, Percy would be joining them at Hogwarts, so instead of sitting with Dora and the Hufflepuffs on the train, he instead sat with Percy.

“Are you nervous?” Harry asked the boy.

“Slightly”

“Because of the sorting.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sure your parents will be just as proud of you if you end up in Ravenclaw as if you ended up in Gryffindor.”

“Thank you Harry.”

They were interrupted by the door opening. “Sorry, all of the other compartments are full, mind if I join you?” a male voice with a heavy Scottish brogue asked.

Percy spoke up. “Of course not. I’m Percy Weasley, and that’s Harry Tonks.”

“You look a little young to be attending Hogwarts mate.” The boy said. “Oh sorry. I’m Oliver, Oliver Wood.”

“Nice to meet you Oliver” Harry said. “I am too young, but I’m apprenticing with one of the professors and I’m going to be taking a course called Ancient Runes.”

“Well then, it’s nice to meet you Harry, Percy. I’ll be sure to come to you both should I need help.”

Harry smiled and they were once again interrupted by the door opening.

“Hello” a soft female voice said. “I was wondering if I could sit in here. I was sitting in a compartment by myself but an overexcited group of boys came in and sort of distracted me.”

“Of course, though I don’t know if we’ll be much better” Oliver said. “I’ve just met these two rather smart blokes and I’d like to learn more from them.”

“I’m Harry Tonks” Harry said.

“Percy Weasley”

“Oliver Wood”

“I’m Penelope Clearwater. It’s nice to meet you all. So, how are you smart?”

“I’m not the smart one.” Percy said. “That would be Harry.”

Harry blushed. “I’m not all that smart either.” Percy scoffed. “But I’m pretty good with Magical creatures.”

“Will you be taking the boats with us?” Penelope asked.

“No, I take the carriages with my older sister. You’ll know her as Tonks.” Harry said. “I better go find her, it seems we’re almost there.”

“The compass?” Percy asked.

“Yes, it’s also good at converting latitude and longitude, you should change if you haven’t already. Percy would you mind?”

“Of course not.” Percy got up and took Harry’s arm. “He’s blind” Harry assumed that was addressed to the other two kids in the compartment. “I’ll be back.”

They easily found Dora and Charlie in another carriage, and Percy left them.

“Did you make new friends?” Charlie asked.

“I think I might’ve” Harry said.

oOo

At the sorting there were some interesting developments, considering Harry knew three of the kids. 

First was Penelope Clearwater, who was sorted into Ravenclaw. Next was Percy Weasley, who surprise of surprises was also sorted into Ravenclaw. Finally Oliver Wood, who was sorted into Gryffindor. 

The welcoming speech was much the same, explaining Harry’s position and that he would be taking one class, Ancient runes. That he did not live at the castle but had free reign over the grounds. That he was not in a house, and he had an older sister.

oOo

Professor Bathsheda Babbling taught Ancient Runes, and it was trickier than one may think. First off, all of the runes were copied into books which held none of the original magic that went into the stone. Second, Harry was not allowed to use babblesworth as it theoretically translate the work for him. Unfortunately babblesworth did no such thing as the twins had no knowledge of ancient runes and had not programmed the device to have any either.

That led to Harry attempting to see the ink in the books with his magic, but it was normal ink. So they had gone onto a field trip rather early in the school year to the ministry, where his dad and Arthur had met them and brought them to the lower levels of the ministry where they kept the original wizarding artifacts. Harry was easily able to see the intent of the writing on these pieces and was over joyed with the magic in them.

They’d yet to figure out how to teach him colors, but the magic in this was able to show him the different ones. Of course he did not know the names of such colors, but being able to see the difference, the intent, the meaning it was overwhelming. He knew he could not continue with ancient runes and how it was taught in Hogwarts, and he told Maimeo as much. Dora was distressed to realize that she had recommended the wrong subject to her little brother which he answered with “IF I had not tried, I would never have known.” And so he went back to Care of Magical creatures, and helping Kettleburn, intent on trying a different subject the next year, and learning about ancient runes in his own time.

He was even able to get Robert Jones, who turned out to be the COMC instructor at Ilvermorny, the school in America, to let him visit his thestrals.

oOo

It was Yule when he handed the picture of the American thestrals to Carlyle.

“What’s this?” Carlyle asked.

“What does it look like?”

Carlyle turned the paper this way in that, amusing Dora to no end as Harry had no clue what he was doing. “A thestral? But the coloring isn’t right”

“It’s an American thestral. He’s called Doom. I thought they looked different but…no one else could see it.”

“It does look different, though I can’t pinpoint why” Carlyle said. “Do you think you could take me to the actual things?”

Harry smiled. “I think Robert would allow that.”


	5. 1988

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 6-7 Year  
> Dora- 4-5 Year  
> Charlie- 4-5 Year  
> Gemma Farley- 2-3  
> Percy- 1-2  
> Oliver Wood- 1-2  
> Penelope Clearwater- 1-2

Going back to Hogwarts after break was not something Harry was looking forward to, which was unusual. He longed to visit Robert and the thestrals of America with Carlyle, and so with permission from Kettleburn, Maimeo, and his parents, he did so.

They had to travel the muggle way to America, apparently it broke all sorts of statutes to travel outside the country via house elf. Harry had learned that after Kreacher had taken him to France for the Abraxan feather.

They might have used a port-key, however it had made Harry feel funny after his NEWTS. So they were first taking a car to Luton airport, and from there taking a rather long flight to Logan, in Boston. Ilvermorney was situated on Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, nearly a three hour drive away. They had rooms for a few days at the school.

Honestly Harry didn’t know if airplanes were much better than port-keys. They made his ears feel funny and the people running up and down the center aisle were making him anxious. They kept asking if he wanted things to drink, and he was pretty sure that Carlyle must have looked as sick as he felt considering how often the girl named Brittany came by.

Anyway they made it in one piece, Harry had fallen asleep halfway through the flight and didn’t wake up until customs, which was a strange affair since Harry was magical. Carlyle had had to leave his wand in England due to the strict regulations.

Carlyle had to protect him from quite a few rogue “do-gooders” that wanted to shake his hand. And soon they were in a strange yellow car on their way to the mountain.

oOo

Carlyle was surprised by the friendliness of Jones. He was a man in his late fifties and genuinely liked Harry.

“He’s the smartest boy I’ve met. Never seen the beasties take to anyone like they took to him.” Jones had said. “Hoping we can get him sorted here, the Headmaster probably won’t mind. I’m sure the students are curious” Jones had rambled on.

“No” Carlyle had said. “He’s not been sorted at Hogwarts yet and he’ll not be sorted here.”

Harry had just smiled and then promptly let go of his hand to run up to an American thestral. “Doom!” He placed his forehead against the beasts “I know that’s not your name, but we don’t want to confuse Robert. I brought a friend. His name is Carlyle, he’s quite fantastic and can see how you’re different from my herd” He said quietly.   

Carlyle shook his head, he thought he knew the problem. “Robert, who can see the thestrals?”

“Why I thought that’d be the same as in magical Britain…those who have witnessed the beginning of life, of course!” Robert said.

Harry gasped. “How did no one notice?”

“Obviously there’s a discrepancy between the magical cooperation of Britain and America” Carlyle said. He’d seen quite a few foals born in his day.

“What do they look like Robert?” Harry asked, pleading.

“Well, they’re great big feathered things I suppose, a light grey coloring. And most of them have black eyes, deep as the soul they say…” Robert said, confused. “What’s the difference between these, and those of Harry’s herd?”

Carlyle smiled at the thought of Harry having a herd of thestrals. “The thestrals in Britain are visible only to those who have witnessed death. Was Minerva not with you Harry?”

“No one was with me but the Board. They insisted.” Harry said. “I guess they either witnessed one or the other.”

“Hold on hold on. You mean to say, that no one has discovered this discrepancy?” Robert asked. Harry nodded. “Let me get Rolf.”

“But why didn’t I feel the difference?” Harry asked Carlyle.

“Well. What part of them did you touch?” Carlyle asked.

“Just their heads, Doom did put his wing behind me, but...” Harry trailed off.

“You were under a lot of stress, in a different country via portkey with no one you knew. I’d imagine no one else but you would have known” Carlyle said, the boy just continued to pet Dooms face.

oOo

Rolf was interrupted in his transfiguration class, his grandmother, Porpentia, had insisted that her grandchildren go to Ilvermorny, he was the only one to have done so. Professor Jones had burst in on the second year class sprouting some nonsense about his granddad. Of course he’d followed the professor, he was a professor after all, only to find a young boy and young man standing in the middle of where the thestral herd was known to frequent. The young man stood there watching a small boy, the young boy seemed to be stroking the head of a thestral.

“Hello” he called out. “Can you see them?” Rolf couldn’t, he’d most certainly tried his hardest to do so, but mostly older married adults held the gift, he figured it developed over time.

Bright green eyes locked on a tree just passed his right. “No. I’m blind.”

“Nice to meet you Blind, I’m Rolf.”

The boy laughed and the man standing near him did as well, he considered that a small victory.

“It’s Harry. This is Carlyle” the boy didn’t even make a gesture to the man, just assumed Rolf would get the meaning. “It seems that Newt Scamander missed one crucial fact.”

“Newt Scamander is my grandad”

“Really?” The boy asked.

Rolf nodded before realizing the boy couldn’t see it. “Yes.”

“Probably why Robert got you then. You see, thestrals from America and thestrals from Britain are different. It seems…well it seems that these beasts are feathered, and appear with the witnessing of the beginning of life. My beasts, they’re skeletal and are seen with the witnessing of death. I’m surprised no one has seen it before.”

“And you?”

“Hmm?”

“How did you see it?”

“They felt different. Obviously their magical core is similar enough to almost fool me. Almost, but not quite.”

The man beside him smiled. “Sorry about him. We’ve just traveled the muggle way. Here.” The man took out two drawings, both had winged beasts, one a dark black with red swirls the other slightly more grey with dark orange swirls, one was marked American Thestral and the other British Thestral. He honestly couldn’t tell the difference.

“How do I know if what you say is true?” Rolf asked the boy.

“Carlyle can see them both, but I don’t expect you to trust someone you haven’t met…” Harry asked.

“You’ve seen them both sir?” Rolf asked the man.

“Yes.” Carlyle said.

“I guess I’ll trust you, at least until I can see them both for myself.” Rolf said, the man nodded but the boy beamed a smile.

oOo

The headmaster had also begrudgingly allowed him to touch the wands kept in the hall of the founders. Two lay on a duel stand marked “Twin wands” or so Carlyle said he held them both, made from ash, the tree that supports the universe and the core was something he’d not felt before.

“Tis the horn of the river serpent. Has not been seen since Mistress Isolt’s death. The only wands with such a core” Robert explained to him.

He was handed the next one, which was snapped in two pieces. “The wand of Mr. Boot. Chadwick and Webster’s father.” The wand seemed familiar to him, made of Cypress and had a dragon heartstring core, though the core had died long ago. He was pretty sure that it was made by an ancestor of Garrick.

The next one was handed to him in three separate pieced. “Mrs. Boot, their mother” Robert explained. Willow, with unicorn hair core, again the core had died long ago.

He couldn’t tell the length of either of the broken wands, which meant he couldn’t find their twins within the shop back home, and he was disappointed by that fact.

A few more wands were within the case, and he was able to feel different cores than the ones that were back in England, when explained to him by Robert they contained cores of wampus hair, snallygaster heartstring, and Jackelope antlers. This excited him to no end, and he vowed to look into the properties of each core when he went home.

The last thing shown to him was a tree. “Not many know that the wand of Isolt was buried here.” Robert said as he placed Harry’s hand upon the tree.

He gasped when he felt the wood, it brought him back to a time before he could remember, a time when the world still held colors, and shapes for him. The magic felt familiar, in a bad way, and he quickly pulled his hand away. But he still could not help the recognition that went up his spine at the core, still buried in the dirt.

“I don’t like it.” He frowned. “Can we leave it?” He felt Carlyle’s familiar hand in his and they were soon walking away.

oOo

The days went by quickly at Ilvermorny. The students, who hadn’t known one so young to be so talented were fascinated with young Harry. The professors on the other hand were frankly astonished. They pushed and pushed to get him sorted, even going so far as to physically push him into the sorting room. But an ancient Puckwudgie had stepped behind him before he reached the center of the Gordian knot.

“This young boy has not consented to being sorted. Isolt would be most displeased.”

“Thank you William.” Harry said with a small secretive smile.

The Puckwudgie had grumbled as it had walked away.

oOo

Finally and by that Carlyle meant FINALLY! The day came when they were set to leave. Rolf had of course promised that they would settle the issue of the thestrals and made Harry promise to write, he’d then proceeded to stumble over his words until Harry had told him that he would love to, as long as he didn’t mind the writing of a quick quill.

Robert had of course hugged the young boy before they left, and a few of the older girls had sighed at Carlyle’s departure.

oOo

Dora had very nearly attacked them both upon their return, mumbling how it wasn’t fair that she hadn’t gotten to go. After a long discussion with the American government, it was decided that only those in complete control over their magic could come, and wands had to be turned in at the station. Dora had been put out, since her metamorphagus traits still sometimes ruled her appearance. Ted could not take the time off of work, and Andy had decided it was better for Dora’s psyche if she stayed home as well. And so Carlyle and Harry had made the trip together. Kreacher had proceeded to bowl Dora over in his attempt to get to his young master.

oOo

Harry made it up to Dora in the only way he could, by telling her all of the stories and promising to go back with her when she had complete control of her abilities.

When she had said that day may never come he’d informed her that he’d smuggle her in, if she’d like, so that she could see the American school. He’d gotten a huge hug from that, and Dora’s magic had flared up in response to her brother’s love.

He’d started sobbing, because, for the first time ever, he could see the blob of magic that made up his sister.

“What is it Harry? Are you alright?” Dora asked.

“Young master?” Kreacher said putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder, abruptly halting his connection to his sister’s magic. Harry sobbed harder.

“Kreacher, let go” Harry said rather forcefully and Kreacher stepped back. After a few minutes, Harry’s sobbing slowed and Dora wiped at his tears with her hands. “I’m sorry” Harry said regretfully. “I’m really sorry Kreacher.”

“It’s okay young master.” Kreacher said.

“No, you don’t understand.” Harry said shaking his head back and forth. “I can see Dora. I can see her.” He just kept repeating “I can see her.” And Dora sent Kreacher to go get her mum.

Andromeda tried to touch Harry, who cried out and shied away, and so the two Tonks children flooed behind their mother to the infirmary at Hogwarts, with Harry still repeating “I can see her” into Dora’s chest.

Madam Pomfrey had tried to touch him as well, with the same result. And when McGonagall bustled into the infirmary nearly half an hour later, Dora’s arms were still wrapped around her brother and the Matron had made no progress.

“What happened?” Minerva asked.

Dora looked up at her. “He says he can see me.” Her eyes were teary. Minerva went to reach out to touch him when she said “No don’t! It upsets him.”

Minerva instead knelt down next to the bed, not touching either of the children. “Harry.” She said quietly, the young boy stilled under his sister’s arm. “What happened?”

He sat there for a few moments before discerning that she wasn’t going to touch either of them. “I can see her.” He said simply.

“I know, my love. We would like to understand how.” Minerva said.

Harry looked to think for a moment. “I was telling Dora about Ilvermorny, and then…I can see her.” He buried his head against Dora’s chest.

“Tonks?” She questioned.

“I was whining about how unfair it was that I couldn’t go with him and Carlyle.” Dora started. “He said he’d go back when I had control over my metamorphagus skills, and I whined about how I may never have control, and he said that he’d smuggle me in if I really wanted to go that badly. And then, this. And then Kreacher touched his shoulder and he flipped out. Just repeating. ‘I can see her’, over and over.” Dora explained.

“What happened when Kreacher touched you?” Minerva asked her grandson.

“I couldn’t see her anymore.” Harry answered.

“Can you see anyone else dear?” Minerva asked, Harry blushed. “You haven’t tried?” He shook his head no. “You’re scared if you let go, you won’t be able to see her again.”

“Yes.” Harry whispered.

“You’ll have to let go at some point little brother.” Dora said, tears streaming down her face. Harry was shaking his head no. “What happens when I have to go to the bathroom, or you do?” He blushed. “Let’s try okay?” She gently eased her arms from around him.

He let out a whine when they were separated.

“Just for one minute Harry, and then I’ll come back, alright?” He nodded, tears streaming down his face. Dora was physically held back from her brother, it hurt to hurt him. A minute passed and Pomfrey nodded at her, she practically ran back to him.

He sighed, the tension running out of his body when she touched him. “I can see you.” He said in awe.

Dora smiled. “Let’s try with someone else, alright?” Harry nodded. “Who do you want to try next?”

“Kreacher.” Harry stated.

The house elf gently placed his arms around the boy, willing for his magic to accept his master, but Harry spoke five minutes later. “I can’t see you Kreacher.” He started sobbing again.

“It be being alright young master, house elf Magics is being different than wizard magic. Try the elder Mistress Tonkses?” Harry nodded.

Andromeda stepped up to her son, hugging him against her chest. “It’s alright if you can’t see me dear. Just know I love you.” Harry nodded against her neck.

Andromeda’s love, and acceptance of her sons situation seemed to work, for not thirty seconds later he clung tighter to her chest and said “I can see you mum” Silent tears made their way down her cheeks and Dora went to hug him from the other side, but he started at the touch.

Dora pulled back with a small frown.

“I…I think I can only see one person at a time.” He said quietly.

Dora smiled. “Better than yesterday morning.” She said with a cheer that she didn’t quite feel, the startling discovery, just this one small moment and she wanted more. “Let Maimeo try.”

Each woman in the hospital room, knowing and understanding that Harry was different and loving him anyway, was able to be seen by the boy.

They then called Professor Sprout, who also knew and understood, but was not able to be seen by Harry. Next was Snape, who did not appreciate the young boy clinging to his legs, and also went unseen by the small raven.

No one quite understood the situation, and no one wanted to distress the boy further, so they sent him home with Andy and Dora to await if he could see his father.

oOo

Ted was a little confused. He had been at work, and when he arrived home, none of his family was there. So when Harry stepped through the floo with Dromeda, his face streaked with tears, he immediately took the boy into his arms. He didn’t even notice when Dromeda stepped away, or when Dora came through the floo. But he did notice the huge smile that bloomed against his bare neck.

Harry started laughing delightedly and Ted looked up to see smiles of happiness and relief on his wife and daughters faces.

“I feel I’ve missed something important.” Ted said.

“We’ve had a startling discovery-“ Dromeda began.

While Dora said. “Harry can see people dad! Not everyone, but me, mum, Pomfrey, McGonagall and you!” She was bouncing up and down. “Only one at a time though.”

“Really?” Ted asked, tears forming in his eyes.

“I can see you dad!” Harry said excitedly.

Ted smiled, letting the tears fall down his face.

oOo

Upon the receival of Dora’s book list, she also received something surprising, a Prefect badge. She’d smiled from ear to ear, before visiting the Weasley household. A week after their discovery it was tested at the Burrow, where Harry was able to see Percy, and Ginny and no one else.

Charlie, as it turned out was made Prefect in Gryffindor, which meant that both he and Bill were prefects in Gryffindor at the same time. Bill was also Head Boy and Charlie took the Gryffindor Quidditch team Captaincy. Bill had played quidditch his third year in school, however he failed to enjoy the sport as much as the rest of the team, and so he left his spot open for someone else.

This year Harry had decided to take Divination as his subject of choice, as well as cutting down his hours at Hogwarts and getting permission from the minister to visit the ancient runes.

oOo

His ride on the Hogwarts express was interesting. He sat with Percy, Oliver, and Penelope again. Oliver was trying out for the quidditch team this year, although he had little hope of getting on. Penelope complained that she was not allowed to take electives yet, and Percy held Harry’s hand, allowing him to see him for the entire ride.

The Hogwarts express, was one of the only muggle things that he knew wizards to use. It was made after a bunch of failed attempts at apparition and broomstick riding to the castle. So unfortunately that meant that Harry could not see the train.

Percy once again led him to Dora when the time came and he held her hand as they made their way up to the castle.

Kettleburn, who had learned of a certain development over the summer, surprised the students by going down the stairs and placing both hands on Harry’s shoulders. Dora sat on one side of her brother, Penny Haywood sitting on the other, and they both inched away. Penny was Dora’s closest friend within her house, not as close as Charlie, but Penny knew what had happened over the summer and knew she should not be in contact with Harry while Kettleburn tried his hand.

The smile that lit up his face alerted a few people in the hall to what had happened. Harry could see Kettleburn.

oOo

Harry had arrived early for divination, due to the fact that it was nearly impossible for him to get there by ordinary means. And so he was seated at a table, after being dropped off by Tinky when the others arrived.

“Hello” A female voice took what Tinky said was the only other seat at the table.

“Hi, I’m Harry.” He introduced himself.

The girl laughed. “I’d have to be an idiot not to know who you are. I’m Gemma, Gemma Farley. Slytherin third year.”

“Nice to meet you Gemma.”

A voice came suddenly rang out, a soft, misty sort of voice. “Welcome. How nice to see you in the physical world at last.”

“Welcome to Divination. My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye. So you may have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field. Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a gift granted to few. We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to the reading of tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. In the summer term we shall progress to the crystal ball- if we have finished with fire omens, that is.”

Harry now understood why Maimeo had been so displeased when he had decided to take divination this year. However, Maimeo was nothing if not supportive. Professor Trelawney was not her favorite professor, but, when Harry had expressed interest, she bought the professor new tea leaves, produced in the magical world.  

“Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink; drink until only the dregs remain. Swirl these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside-down on its saucer; wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing”

Harry didn’t know why she was asking them to pair up, the seating effectively did that already.

“I’ll get yours for you Harry” Gemma said.

“Here, she tried to make a fuss, but I think it only depends on who drinks the tea” Gemma said.

“Thank you.” Harry drank, relying on his sense of the cup to tell him how much water was left. He then swirled his cup thrice with his left hand and turned it over, he heard the clink across from him signaling Gemma was done as well.

“Here” she said and grabbed his hand, placing it over her tea cup.

“Thank you.” He took out babblesworth and could practically feel her eyes on him. He held the cup, sensing the tea leaves through the ordinary china. “I think, a mountain, and, a dagger.” Harry nodded to himself. “Which could be translated as-“

“Oh dear, dear, these will not do.” Trelawney said as she pulled babblesworth from his book and ears. “We cannot have these in a classroom of sight”

Harry frowned. “Let me continue then… A mountain and a dagger, help from a powerful friend. May I have that back please Professor? I will put it in my bag should you not want it in your classroom.”

“Here.” That was Gemma, he felt babblesworth back in his palm and stuffed it into his bag. “So I see-“

“Oh dear, this is a very bad cup. A very bad cup indeed.” Trelawney interrupted. “Yes, yes, a kettle, and a…saw. Oh dear, not good. You shall die, by the hand of a stranger.”

“Hmm. May I see professor Trelawney?” He asked.

“It is not for one to read-“

“Here” Gemma placed the cup in his hand.

“An umbrella” He said, truthfully the tea leaves had been disturbed by magic but he knew what each symbol meant.

“Difficulty or annoyance” Gemma said seriously. Trelawney huffed and seemingly walked away. “Nice one. Did it actually have that?”

“No, she did something with them, they were less than useless now. But I already read the book” Harry said.

“I think that we shall be good friends Harry. Would you like to walk to the Great Hall and have lunch with me?”

“I can’t”

“Oh” Gemma said, sounding disappointed.

“You see, I can’t get down the rope, but should you like I’m sure Tinky would take you with us, and I’ll sit with you after I tell Dora.”

“Dora?” Gemma asked.

“My sister”

oOo

True to Harry’s word Tinky took them both to the Great Hall, where Dora was waiting after her free period.

“Dora, I’m going to sit at Slytherin with Gemma, is that alright?” Harry asked.

“Of course, little brother. I was surprised you didn’t join Percy and Penelope last year.” Dora said.

“Thanks Dora” Harry said as he grabbed Gemma’s hand and skipped to the Slytherin table. When Charlie came in and looked for the boy, he was surprised when Dora pointed. The same with Bill, and finally Percy, Penelope, and Oliver walked in, immediately going to Slytherin and demanding Harry sit with them soon before leaving him be.

“Your friends are quite protective. I believe you have one in each house now.” Gemma said.

“Yeah, with you I do.” Harry said with a smile.

oOo

Divination was twice a week, Monday and Thursday in third period just before lunch. Harry found himself on a new schedule. He was only at Hogwarts in time for lunch, Monday he sat with Gemma at Slytherin, Tuesday he sat with Penelope and Percy at Ravenclaw, Wednesday at Gryffindor with Oliver, Thursday at Slytherin with Gemma, and Friday at Gryffindor with Charlie and Bill. The weekends he would come for breakfast with Dora, and Dora would sometimes join him with Bill and Charlie.

oOo

For Yule the family got together with Carlyle, Maimeo joined them as well as Kettleburn and they’d tried to invite Professor Snape with no luck.

The fun part? Carlyle explaining to Kettleburn the difference in Thestrals, though he had heard from Harry he was quite excited for an actual eye witness.

“And what did the American thestrals look like?” He asked Carlyle.

“Ever heard of a Pegasus?” Carlyle asked Kettleburn who nodded, “Sort of like that, but their whole body is feathered.”

Kettleburn had badgered Carlyle the whole night until Harry sat in Carlyle’s lap and gasped.

“What is it Harry?” Dora asked.

Harry wore a huge grin. “I told you squibs had magic!”

“What do you mean?” Maimeo asked.

“I can see you Carlyle, you’re not as bright as everyone else, but you’re there, a little blurry and only one color, but you’re there,” He said as he hugged the man’s neck.

“What color?” Dora asked.

“I don’t know the names, you know that. I only know there are different ones, from the Rune of Merlin.” Harry said.

“How?” Kettleburn asked.

“The Rune of Merlin was there, the intent of the magic, different colors. At least a hundred.” Harry said.

“And what did the Rune of Merlin say?” Mum asked.

“Well it’s supposed to say:

_I have lived a time or two_  
_Questioned a father_  
_Guided a King_  
_I have no children_  
_Though many will doubt_  
_And come a time when my kind lives_  
_We shall see a child who is his”_

“But you believe different?” Maimeo asked.

Harry nodded.

“What does it say to you, little brother?” Dora asked

Harry smiled

_“There will come a child whom may read my intent_  
_A child whom is not whole in the eyes of his people_  
_He is a child of Arthur, the greatest King_  
_And knows a power long dormant in his line._  
_Many believe this be a child of mine_  
_But this child will know, with all of his heart_  
_That he is meant to bring back a great kingdom_  
_And he will see what others cannot_  
_Be brave my child, not of my blood_  
_For in my time you would have been killed_  
_But in your time, you will be revered_  
_Hold Arthur in your mind_  
_And you shall never stray down the wrong path”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. So this went to America (can you tell I’m from America?). Whoops. Don’t worry, Harry will likely stay in Wizarding Britain for the time being. Also I’m sorry for any plot holes, this story honestly was not thought out at all. I literally wrote the first chapter completely on a whim but thought it was a good plot. I’ve been struggling with another story of mine and this seems to be helping slightly. 
> 
> I’m planning a surprise for Harry’s first year, there are a few ways it could go.  
> 1\. Dora becomes DADA teacher or DADA understudy  
> 2\. Dora studies under Madam Pomfrey for mediwitchery   
> 3\. Neither of these happen and Dora goes off for school. Probably to be a healer. 
> 
> And I’m debating if I should follow what J.K. Did with Bill or if he should have a new profession. Let me know what you guys think. Next chapter has been started and I have some pieces jotted down but nothing is set in stone.


	6. 1989

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so my Trelawney will show up this once, and maybe a few other times. However I cannot take credit for this idea. The Trelawney she is based from is from Defense, Pretense, Offence, by beren.
> 
> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Bill- 7 Year  
> Dora- 5-6 Year  
> Charlie- 5-6 Year  
> Gemma Farley- 3-4  
> Percy- 2-3  
> Oliver Wood- 2-3  
> Penelope Clearwater- 2-3  
> George and Fred- 1st  
> Cedric Diggory- 1st

By the time their Divination class moved on to palmistry Harry was almost ready to drop the class. Trelawney saw fit to mess with his tea leaves nearly every class. The only reason he stayed was because Gemma was so amusing.

Palmistry was interesting, and since the discovery in the summer he was able to focus on the magical lines in a person’s hand. Unfortunately if he tried to see any further, or someone touched him during this time, he was not able to see anything. But he could trace the lines with his fingers and do a decent if not perfect reading.

That being said he didn’t neglect his duties as Kettleburn’s apprentice. He still watched the thestrals closely. Rolf had somehow managed to be privy to a puckwudgie birth and could now see the America thestrals, Harry didn’t even want to know how he got there. So Rolf was planning a trip up that summer, and he was going to stay with them to see the British thestrals, seeing as he’d already witnessed the death of his cousin’s husband.

Rolf’s aunt Queenie was accompanying him and was quite excited to meet Harry.

oOo

Meanwhile, in Divination they had moved on to crystal balls. Harry had shown up early one day.

“There be being crystal balls on the table Master Tonks” Tinky said. Tinky and Roully took turns apparating him to the classroom.

“Can you lead me to one?” Harry asked, he assumed the seating was the same. As soon as the house elf placed his hand on the ball magic seemed to overwhelm him.

“Tales are spun of his return…Magic long dormant in his line…Born to a child of Merlin and a daughter of Grainne…Obscure he will become should his guardian not save him…Save him and his kingdom will be saved”

oOo

Harry woke up and immediately recognized the smell of the infirmary. “Poppy?” He croaked out.

“Harry!” Dora’s voice said. “We were so scared. Gemma found you on the floor of the divination classroom.”

“Water?” Harry asked. A cool glass was placed into his hand. He gulped greedily. “Is Gemma here?”

“Of course I am you idiot! I wasn’t leaving you.” Gemma said.

“The Weasley’s are here too little brother” Dora said.

“Hey!” Three voices rang out.

“Kettleburn?” Harry asked.

“Is tending to his classes just fine.” Dora assured.

“Maimeo?” He asked.

“Transfiguration with the first years, she was here before that.”

“Mum and Dad?”

“Here love” Andy said. “Dad’s on his way, we didn’t think he needed to hurry, with the rest of your family here.”

“Carlyle?” Harry asked.

“I’m here buddy” Carlyle said swiping a hand across his forehead.

“What happened?” Harry asked.

“We were hoping you would remember. All we knew is that Gemma found you with Tinky who apparated you both to the infirmary” Poppy said.

“I was in Divination.” Harry said and everyone could see his scrunched up face trying to remember. “I touched the ball, and then there was all this magic, and then I was here.”

“Crystal balls are conduits of magic. Normal wizards scry with them. Looking into the reflective surface, charging it with their energy.” Poppy stated. “With you, since you cannot scry, it may have instead taken the magic around you to show you something.”

“Is that possible?” Gemma asked.

“We’d have to ask Trelawney to confirm, but I believe a lot is possible with Harry that we believed impossible prior” Poppy said.

“Trelawney is a joke” Gemma said.

“Trelawney is a seer, few have the gift” Andy admonished. “Not that I ever took her class, but I did see her in her classroom once, without the illusion of students. She’s a crazy old bat, but she does have talent.”

“Seers are greatly valued” Percy added “Many want their power, I believe her persona is to confuse those who believe she is gifted. If she is mostly insane, she is of little use to anyone.”

Harry smiled. “Never thought of it that way.”

“You’re to stay the night here, Dora and Kreacher may stay with you” Poppy said.

“Yes Poppy” Harry answered.

oOo

It was the middle of the night when Harry was gently shaken awake. Dora was fast asleep, he could tell by her heavy breathing.

“Young master, crazy old bat be being here to see you.” Kreacher said.

Harry reached out to grab the knobby hand. “Lead the way, quietly.” Kreacher pulled him down the corridor, stopping to help him into his shoes, the floors were chilly.

“Harry, I am sorry to disturb you like this” A far clearer voice than what he was used to said.

“Professor Trelawney?” Harry asked with doubt.

“Yes child.”

“But…you sound so…” Harry began.

“Sane? I believe your friend Percy told you the dangers to a seer. I’ll admit that I do not see as much as my mentor, but in the wrong hands my visions could be fatal. I cannot stop a vision when it comes, as you now know.”

Harry must have made a face because she laughed.

“I have brought a friend of yours with me. Go on.” She said.

Harry didn’t know who was there until the familiar voice of Tinky said “Hello master Harry”

“Tinky!” Harry smiled. “You saw what happened?”

“Yes Master Harry, you be having a vision.”

“I was able to review her memories, you made a prophecy Harry” Trelawney said.

“Oh. What did I say?”

“Tales are spun of his return…Magic long dormant in his line…Born to a child of Merlin and a daughter of Grainne…Obscure he will become should his guardian not save him…Save him and his kingdom will be saved” Trelawney relayed.

“What does it mean?” Harry asked.

“That is not for us to decipher, many try and fail, we are just the messengers, it is others who will find the meaning.” Trelawney said.

“Oh.” Harry said dejectedly.

“Do not worry Harry, it will come in time. It may not even happen in your lifetime young one.” Trelawney said. “Now, you may have more, so you must be careful. In class we will continue with the relationship we have, but should you like, I can mentor you with the sight. I will also ask you not to touch the crystal ball during class. And you must tell a select few of the power you have. The last part is the most important. You must keep it secret.”

Harry nodded. “Thank you.”

“I is be getting you back to bed young master” Kreacher said and led him down the hall, back to Dora’s heavy breathing.

Harry lay awake for a minute, wondering how many people he should tell. Deciding that there were a few people who needed to know, he fell into a fitful sleep.

oOo

The next morning he asked Maimeo if he could have a small breakfast with the family in her office. He asked if she could get Gemma to come just before classes.

Once everyone was assembled, and he had a huge hug from his dad whom had been unable to reach Hogwarts after being sidetracked by Bagnold who needed something from his office causing him to work late into the night.

“I have something important to tell you all, and it must go no further than this room” Harry addressed his family: Dora, Mum, Dad, Carlyle, and Maimeo. “I have the sight. I made a prophecy yesterday, and that is why I passed out.” Gasps were heard around the room.

“Harry, who told you this?” Maimeo asked.

“Trelawney.” He answered.

“Trelawney is a fake, I do not know why I kept her on.” Maimeo said.

“Trelawney is a gifted witch, who hides herself in plain sight.” Harry said heatedly. He heard Maimeo inhale sharply. “Should this get out, I will be sought as a tool for the most mundane things.”

“What did you see?” Andy asked.

“It doesn’t matter, we just know that I have this gift, and must use it wisely. But it was along the lines of what the Rune of Merlin said.” Harry explained.

“You would like to keep it between us six?” Ted asked.

“Seven” Harry stated. “Seven is a good number, I would like a seven fold wizard’s oath.”

“Who is the seventh? And can I be part of a wizard’s oath?” Carlyle asked.

“Gemma, and yes.”

“Are you sure we can trust her?” Dora asked.

“We have to. I must continue with Divination, and she will be there with me” Harry supplied.

A knock on the door signaled Gemma’s arrival. She was surprisingly loyal to Harry to those who didn’t know her, but Carlyle could see that should Harry not have Dora watching over him, this girl would see to his safety.

“We doth swear that the sight of Harry Tonks shall kept between us seven until such a time that it is safe to think otherwise. So it is said, so mote is be.” Maimeo led.

“So it is said, so mote it be.” The other six followed.

Six of the seven occupants saw a powerful binding take place, creating a seven pointed star on the inner right arm of each of the participants before disappearing into the skin.

oOo

After that day Dora had little time for him, as did Charlie. The two were studying extremely hard for their OWLs and Bill with his NEWTs.

It wasn’t until April that Harry saw fit to interrupt Bill. Kreacher was sick, which happened rarely but also was a major inconvenience seeing as Harry was stuck without him. He could of course floo, but it was always a mess seeing as the powder wasn’t in the same place anywhere, and he usually fell on his bum upon arrival.

“Bill?” He asked the smart Gryffindor.

“Yes Harry?” Bill said.

“I need you to take me to Gringotts.” Harry said.

“Harry, I’m really busy studying for my NEWTs, could you get one of my brothers to do it?” Bill pleaded.

“I need someone who can apparate, and that’s you. Please Bill, it won’t take long.” Harry reached out for Bill’s larger hands.

“Alright. Come on then, we have to walk to the edge of the wards.”

oOo

Bill didn’t really have the heart to say no to Harry when he begged. The boy didn’t know it but his usually blank eyes sometimes held the plea when he asked for things, and who could say no to that.

They quickly made their way to Gringotts and Bill was prepared to be there for most of the day, considering the fact that the goblins hated wizards. Harry walked into the place gripping his hand tightly head held high and to Bill’s great surprise the two were quickly taken to a back chamber.

“Master Tonks.” The goblin greeted. “Who is your friend?”

“This is Bill. Bill this is Bogrod.”

“Nice to meet you Bill.”

“You too Bogrod” Bill said, he was quite weirded out by the friendliness of the goblins. They were never this way with his family.

“What did you need Master Tonks?” Bogrod asked Harry.

“It’s Dora’s sixteenth birthday coming up. I wanted to get her something from the Black vaults, something traditional.” Harry said.

“I think I have just the thing, if you would allow me entrance.” Bogrod said.

“Of course Bogrod, I trust you.” Harry said and the goblin smiled creepily.

Bill watched the Goblin walk away and sat down with Harry in the rather cush office, when he saw a beautiful dagger on the desk of the goblin. He got up and was about to touch it when the goblin came back and said “Don’t! It’s cursed, we are still looking for a curse breaker to fix it”

“Cursed?” Bill asked “May I?” He looked at the Goblin who nodded. Bill of course had read about the famous curse breaker Patricia Rakepick, and had been pondering the idea of going into the profession. He was head boy for a reason. Quickly casting diagnostics on the dagger he realized it had a rather nasty cutting jinx on it with a strong layer of sticking charms, anti-cure charms and even a zapping jinx to discourage the caster from taking them off, after getting through the ten layers of spells he cast the diagnostics again to see it curse-free. “Done” he stated and went back to sit by Harry.

The goblin, Bogrod, Bill reminded himself, carefully picked up the dagger and smiled evilly before looking to Bill again. “How would you like a curse breaking job upon your graduation from Hogwarts?”

Bill started, he’d been looking and looking for a profession that suited him and now he’d found one, with little to no effort, with the help of his friend. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.” Bill looked to Harry to see a small smile on his face.

“Now, what did you get me?” Harry asked Bogrod.

Bill saw the Goblin take Harry’s small hand in his and place a ring in it. “This is Druella Black’s [engagement ring](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/archivesE/upload/1701400/j_16189731464620241021/16_056_00_org_l.jpg). It’s got two large diamonds in an S shape and was made in France. I believe it would suit Dora wonderfully.”

“Thank you Bogrod. This seems like the perfect gift.” Harry said with a smile, and Bill was happy to have been privy to the moment.

oOo

Dora was not quite happy on her birthday. She had to wake up early to study, but when she made her way down to the Great Hall she was quite surprised to see Harry sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

“Harry? What are you doing here?” She asked as she lay her hand on his shoulder.

“Dora! Happy birthday! I came to bring you your gift” Harry said with a large smile and handed over a small box.

Dora smiled, her younger brother was so thoughtful. She opened the box carefully and gasped. “Harry, it’s gorgeous.”

“It’s your grandma’s. Mums mum. I know that you never knew her, but I thought you might like a family heirloom, considering I stole your inheritance.” Harry said.

“You didn’t steal anything. It wouldn’t have been mine at any point in time” Dora said as she placed the ring on her right middle finger. “It’s perfect.” And it was, it suited her perfectly. “Thank you Harry.”

“You’re welcome. I asked the elves if we could have cake for breakfast.” Harry said. Cake appeared in front of them, Dora’s favorite, white with buttercream frosting. She loved her brother.

oOo

Andromeda had been more than a little shocked to see her mother’s engagement ring on her daughter’s finger, but she couldn’t be mad. Not when her daughter looked so happy with it, and not when the pride of Harry over his gift shown through.

It looked better on Nymphandora than it ever had on her mother, and hopefully the French ring would bring her happiness.

oOo

Dora got her scores back before Rolf and Queenie were set to visit. She had received O’s in every class but Charms, in which she got an E. She already knew what she wanted to do, it was just going to take a little bit of work.

oOo

Rolf and Queenie came in early July, and Harry had his entire family visit the thestrals. They had to floo there, being that there were so many people. Kreacher was only so powerful, but Kreacher took Carlyle first since the man couldn’t floo.

Harry stepped through with Dora. “Maimeo?” He called out.

“Harry!” The woman swept him up into her arms. “Soon you’ll be too big for this.” She said sorrowfully.

Next came Andromeda, then Queenie, Rolf, and finally Ted.

“Let’s go!” Harry said excitedly when he was placed back on the ground. He placed a hand on the castle wall and began to run.

Rolf took off in pursuit of the young boy and Dora wasn’t far behind. The three women walked at a more leisurely pace through the castle.

“Rolf said he was blind.” Queenie said.

“He is, he can see magic,” McGonagall said.

“Oh. You both are rather loud thinkers.” Queenie expressed.

The two women looked at her strangely but kept walking.

“Oh.” Andy exclaimed. “Rolf must be good with animals.”

“Oh yes, quite good, takes after his grandfather.” Queenie answered.

Rolf, Dora, and Harry were walking with Polo down to the thestral herd.

“They are different!” Rolf exclaimed. “Grandpa will be so frustrated.” He laughed excitedly.

oOo

For most of his life Harry hadn’t had problems with the age difference between himself and his sister. He was what his parents called “advanced” for his age. And Dora was a great person. But it was quite a big deal now that Dora was sixteen and he was only turning nine.

And what sent him over the edge? Dora had a crush on Carlyle, which Harry thought was weird since he was like a brother to him. She started stammering or getting really awkward around the man, and since he ate with them most nights now, Harry insisted since he couldn’t see him as much now that he “went to Hogwarts” every night was a new exercise in restraining his laughter.

Dinners were inordinately awkward for most of the summer, until Harry’s birthday when the entire Weasley clan joined them at the stables. Their house wasn’t big enough to house both families for dinner and Carlyle offered his space.

That led to an even worse situation, it turned out that Carlyle was something called “Bisexual” and Harry didn’t understand what that meant. He found Bill really cute, but Bill was straight.

And so Harry found some time with Carlyle to try and figure out what “Bisexual” meant.

“Well…it means you’re attracted to both of the sexes, I tend towards the more ‘gay’ side, meaning I find men more attractive more often than not, but also like girls.” Carlyle explained.

“So Dora is gay cause she likes boys?” Harry asked.

Carlyle laughed. “No, Dora is straight because she likes a member of the opposite sex, in her case boys.”

Harry scrunched up his nose. “I don’t understand.”

“There are a lot of sexualities, Harry. Straight, Asexual, Pansexual, Gay, Bisexual, and Lesbian.” Carlyle started. “And then even more after that in regards to things that you don’t need to know yet. Anyway Straight like I said you’re attracted to the opposite sex, asexual you aren’t really attracted to other people. Pan, well pan I don’t really understand but basically gender doesn’t matter, Gay is a man liking another man, Bi is when you like both male or female regardless of your own gender, and lesbian is a girl liking another girl.”

“Why are there so many labels?” Harry asked.

“Society likes labels, it makes them feel better.” Carlyle said.

“Well, I don’t like it. It’s confusing.” Harry said. Carlyle laughed again.

oOo

When they went for books that summer they ran into Bill at Gringotts.

“Do you like it here Bill?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, it’s fun. I appreciate the Goblins a lot more now that I work with them.” Bill explained.

“Bill, will you manage my vaults? I’ll give you a fee. I want to have things to leave to my children, like mommy and daddy left me.” Harry said.

“Harry, do you even know how much money you have?” Bill asked.

“He has a lot?” Dora asked.

“Yeah, he’s behind only a few really old pureblooded families.” Bill said.

“That is true Master Tonks.” Bogrod said when he came back with their parents.

“Well, what is it doing?” Harry asked.

“Just sitting in your vault, we can invest it if you’d like though.” Bogrod said.

“Can you do that, and then any money you make off of investments give half to charity?” Harry asked.

“That’s lovely of you Harry” Andy said.

“Sure which charity?” Bill asked.

“Is there one for orphans?” Harry asked.

“I’m sure there’s a muggle one, not sure about a magical one though.” Bill said.

“I want one that has orphans like me, and helps them like Kreacher did.” Harry said.

“What do you mean?” Bill asked.

There was silence for a moment. “Harry,” Dora started. “Do you remember that the only people that know where you came from are Poppy, Bogrod, Maimeo, Kreacher, me, mum and dad?”

“Oh.” Harry said. “Why?”

“We didn’t want you to be attacked by the masses dear” Andy said.

“It would’ve been harder if people actually know where you’re from. And who you are.” Ted said.

“But Bill won’t tell anyone. Will you Bill?” Harry asked.

“No.” Bill said, slightly confused.

“Is that alright Bogrod?” Harry asked.

“Of course. Master Bill, Harry Tonks is actually Harry Potter, the Tonks adopted him when he was three.” Bogrod explained.

“Well. I always knew you were special, you’re just more special now.” Bill said.

Harry smiled.

oOo

That year the twins were joining them at Hogwarts. Harry was quite excited about it. He sat with the two on the train. For some odd reason he could see Fred, but not George. He also annoyed them to no end because Fred had a slightly lower voice than George so he always knew who was talking. Even their mother didn’t know half the time. He kept it to himself most of the time though because it made them happy to confuse people.

It was the three of them in a carriage when someone came in. “Sorry, all the other ones are full.” A boy said.

“No problem…” George began.

“…we could always use…” Fred continued.

“…another head to bounce…” George went on.

“….ideas off of” Fred finished.

“I’d appreciate it if you two spoke in your own sentences for the train ride, otherwise I’m going to sit with Dora or Percy.” Harry said.

“You’re no fun mate” Fred said.

“Let’s not be rude brother.” George interrupted. “I’m George and this is Fred and that is Harry”

Harry assumed he was being motioned towards and waved. “Hi” He said.

“I’m Cedric, Cedric Diggory.”

“Nice to meet you” The twins said at the same time.

The four boys conversed on quidditch. Harry didn’t understand the appeal but kept up with the latest numbers anyway.

oOo

Once again he sat with Dora at the sorting Ceremony. The twins were sorted into Gryffindor, Harry was surprised by that, he thought they’d be in Slytherin, but they did value family and friends more than cunning.

Cedric was sorted into Hufflepuff.

oOo

Harry was taking Divination year 2, and Gemma was as well. Less people had come back this year, though most thought it an easy A.

Since Divination was now on Tuesday and Fridays after lunch and so Harry split his time differently. Monday he sat with the twins at Gryffindor, Tuesday Gemma at Slytherin, Wednesday with Percy and Penelope at Ravenclaw, Wednesday at Gryffindor with Charlie and Oliver, Thursday with Cedric at Hufflepuff, Friday with Gemma at Slytherin and both weekend days with Dora at Hufflepuff, more often than not most of their friends would join the two on Sundays.

oOo

Harry liked Cedric, he was quite smart and a lot like Dora in that he was very well liked by his classmates. He was very glad to have another Hufflepuff as a friend and knew that the boy was likely to be his mentor when he went to school, although he seemed more skilled with Defense than Harry ever thought he’d need to be.

oOo

For Yule Harry got all of his friends presents. For Dora a necklace with the caduceus since she wanted to be a healer, it was goblin made. For Charlie dragon hide gloves. For Oliver a quidditch strategy board. For the twins, rare potions ingredients. For Percy the tale of Gerraine. For Penelope a set of drawing quills. For Bill a cursed item from his vaults dating back two hundred years. For Cedric a practice snitch. For Gemma a braided bracelet made from yellow, rose, and white gold. For Ron a new chess set. For Ginny a diary that only she could open. He got his parents gifts of course, and Carlyle was on the receiving end of Harry’s notes on thestrals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so we've got probably two chapters before Harry reaches Hogwarts. Those will likely be longer and split into two to four parts. 
> 
> I'm thinking of the following pairings.  
> Bill/Dora  
> Charlie/Carlyle  
> or  
> Dora/Carlyle  
> Charlie/Kettleburn  
> Bill/Gemma
> 
> If you guys feel like other pairings would work let me know, I'm open to them.


	7. 1990

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Dora- 6-7  
> Charlie- 6-7  
> Gemma Farley- 4-5  
> Percy- 3-4  
> Oliver Wood- 3-4  
> Penelope Clearwater- 3-4  
> George and Fred- 1-2  
> Cedric Diggory- 1-2
> 
> SPOILER, Harry and Ron both find their wands in this chapter. It took a little time for me to pick the wand wood for Harry. Turns out JK did a lot of research on wand woods. You may have seen my comment on the five types of wood I was debating…Honestly Holly was the best choice.

Harry had been in Divination, but Trelawney had kicked him out, for the class the reason was that he had “bad energy that was not conductive to the readings” but the honest reason was that people were starting to get suspicious of him not touching the crystal balls.

He was walking aimlessly through the hallways when he stopped suddenly. “Professor?” he asked.

“Harry.” Professor Snape answered. “How did you know I was here?”

Harry thought for a second “I think you’re touching the wall, sir.”

“I am” the professor said.

“I’ve always been able to see Hogwarts, sir. I don’t know why. I couldn’t see you last time I checked, but I could tell you were there through the castle.” Harry explained.

“Is that why you clung to my legs two summers ago?”

“Yes sir.”

“Would you like to try again?”

“Yes please sir.” Harry tentatively grabbed the stoic professor’s hand, however he could not see him any better than last time, that is to mean, he couldn’t see him at all. “Sorry sir, nothing.”

“Where were you walking?”

“I dunno. I was following the castle.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to it then”

“Bye professor.”

Harry didn’t have a particular destination in mind, he was just wandering through the castle, but it seemed to be leading him somewhere. He walked through a doorway and heard wails.

“Hello? Are you alright?” He called out.

“Who are you? What are you doing in the girls lavatory?” a whiney annoying voice said.

“Dunno, the castle led me here.” He answered. “Who are you?”

“You can’t tell? I’m moaning myrtle, the ghost of the girls bathroom.” Myrtle said.

“Oh, nice to meet you Myrtle.” Harry said. The ghost didn’t speak for a few moments, but then Harry felt magic go through him and he was suddenly breathless.

“I’m sorry” Myrtle wailed. “Most humans don’t react that way to going through ghosts.”

Harry struggled to regain his breath for a moment “It’s alright. I didn’t know either. I can tell Maimeo now.” He was still breathing heavily and when he stood up he reached for the closest thing to him. It felt like a faucet, so he turned it, maybe some cold water on his face would make him feel better. His entire body felt…wrong in some way. But no water came out of the faucet.

“Myrtle? What’s happening?” Harry asked.

“The sinks disappeared into the floor.” Myrtle answered.

“Can you go get Headmistress McGonagalll pleases”

“I don’t leave the bathroom.” Myrtle answered.

“Why not?”

“The other ghosts don’t like me.”

“Please. I need McGonagall Myrtle. Just this once.”

“Alright.” Myrtle answered.

Harry waited…and waited…and waited. And finally Myrtle came back. “She’s on her way.”

“Thank you Myrtle.”

oOo

“Harry? Are you alright?” Maimeo’s voice asked.

“Yes Maimeo, I just broke something I think.”

“A bone?” Maimeo sounded distressed.

“No, the sink.”

“This is interesting” Professor Snape’s voice rang out.

“Professor Snape? What are you doing here?”

“I saw McGonagall practically running through the halls and followed her, thinking it was an emergency.” Snape said.

“Oh, well thank you.” Harry said. “Maimeo, what is this?”

“I don’t know love, maybe we should go down and check it out?” Maimeo said.

“Really?” Harry asked with a smile. “I don’t know…this might be the part of the castle that was unfriendly.”

“What do you mean?” Maimeo asked.

“When Sprout first showed me the castle, there was a part that felt unfriendly.” Harry said.

“Well we won’t know if we don’t go down there.” Maimeo said. “What are grandma’s for, love?”

“For helping with mischief” Harry said with a small smile and suddenly he was in Maimeo’s arms sliding down a tube.

He heard something crack upon their landing, and then as Maimeo brushed him off he heard a scoff, presumably Snape.

“Are these bones?” Snape asked.

“Yes, Professor, lets move along.” Maimeo said.

The bones crunched beneath Maimeo’s feet as she walked with him.

“Is this…” Snape began “the Chamber of secrets?”

“It can’t be, only Salazar’s heirs could find it.” Maimeo said.

“What’s the chamber of secrets?” Harry asked as Maimeo set him down. “Is there a wall beside me?”

“Yes love.” Maimeo said and he reached out to feel metal coils. “The chamber of secrets was a legend from one of the founders, presumably only to be found by his heir”

Now that Harry was closer to the presumed “unfriendly part” of the castle he realized that the magic was slightly different from the rest of the castle, but nothing dark.

As his senses of magic grew, so did his understanding. The magic of goblins for example, was very different than that of wizards. And as he had learned before, each wizard had different magic. The rest of the castle held a warmth, an invitation for all that walked its halls, this…this was meant for few, and made by one person with incredible strength. The castle, as he had read, was created by four founders, who worked in sync to build its walls, and therefore the magic integrated with other’s easily.

But this part felt nothing like what he had felt in the rest of the castle, or the grinfotss vaults, there was no allure and no open invitation. And then…he heard it. Something that was quiet, so quiet. He strained his ears trying to make our what was beign said, but it seemed that the voice was beyong the walls.

“Can you open the door Maimeo?” Harry asked.

“I do not think so, Mr. Tonks.” Snape said. “It’s only meant to be opened by the heir of Slytherin.”

Harry frowned and asked the door what it needed to open.

_Speak open_

_Open_ Harry said and Maimeo gasped, but the door opened before them. “What?” He asked.

“You’re a parselmouth.” Maimeo said.

“What’s that?” Harry asked.

“You can speak to snakes.” Snape said.

“So what’s in the chamber?” Harry asked.

Maimeo picked him up and walked into the chamber, her footsteps echoeing off the stone.

“It’s a basalisk” snape ssaid, “Long dead.”

“The floors are beautiful.” Maimeo said. “Such a smooth black stone.”

“Maimeo, I want to touch.” Harry said. Maimeo put him down. He placed his hand on the floor and was able to see the magic in the chamber. It was impressive, but one thing was strange, out of place. “Maimeo, is there…water?”

“Yes love.” Maimeo ansered.

Harry toed off his shoes and discovered something that would change his life. He could see magic just as well through his feet as his hands. “Maimeo, I can see through my feet!”

Maimeo laughed. “Wonderful.”

Harry carefully waded into the water, conjured water, he could tell, it felt vaguely unnerving before feeling a hand grasped his foot. He didn’t panic, it was buzzing like myrtle felt but much softer, or less intense, hard to descibe. The hand couldn’t hold him there, but if he moved the soft buzz that he currently felt on his skin would become overwhelming, so he reached down. Next to his hand was what he had felt before, and he wondered how it got there. He picked it up, it was quite heavy and felt magic within the blade.

oOo

McGonagall saw her grandson pluck a sword from the water, before a bright light overtook him and he was holding a wand.

“Harry?” She asked.

“Maimeo, I found my wand!” Harry said excitedly.

McGonagall looked towards snape, but he was looking in detail at the basalisk carcuss and seemed to have missed what happened. “What is it made of love?” she asked at the waters edge.

“It’s…Holly?” Harry’s face was scrunched with concentration. “and the core…two dragon feathers?” Harry looked confused. “Why does it have two cores…and dragons don’t have feathers do they?”

“I don’t know love, maybe you can ask Ollivander about the cores, and Kettleburn about the dragons” McGonagall said.

Harry nodded before wading out of the water. “Maimeo, can I not wear shoes here, please?”

Looking into those green eyes, she couldn’t refuse. “Of course love.”

Harry smiled and then a look crossed his face. “Oh, and can you ask the ghosts not to pass through me. It doesn’t feel good.”

“What do you mean love?”

“I couldn’t breathe when Myrtle passed through me.”

McGognall frowned. “Come Professor Snape. We have classes to get to.” She called as she began to walk out of the room. The professor looked devastated to leave the carcuss for less than half a second ebfore he reformed his mask and followed her out the door. “Will you seal this please Harry love?”

oOo

 _Close_ Harry said, and he was able to see the wrungs of the ladder now that he wore no sheos, aptly climbing up by himself before getting slightly lost at the top before Snape helped him up. “Thank you.” He said, realizing that there was a lot about this man that he did not know, and accepting that it might always be that way. He gasped.

“Harry?” Maimeo said.

“I can see Professor Snape.” Harry said excitedly.

“Why now?” The professor sneered.

Harry frowned in concentration, why now indeed. “I need Dora, and Bill.” Harry said.

oOo

Dora didn’t know why she was at the Headmistress’ office after classes, but she saw her brother upon entry and picked him up and spun him around.

“Hello littler brother.” Dora said “What’s up?’

Harry smiled “I found my wand!” Dora frowned, they were supposed to go to Ollivanders next year together. “It was in the chamber of secrets” Harry went on.

“What?” Dora asked stunned.

“And I can see Professor Snape!” Harry went on, not apparently reading his sisters distress.

Then the floo roared to life.

“Hello?” Bill said.

“Bill, what are you doing here?” Dora asked.

“Presumably Harry asked for me, else the Goblins wouldn’t have let me off early.” Bill said as he shrugged and then hugged her brother.

“Why not Carlyle?” Dora asked, mostly to herself.

“Because he doesn’t understand magic, Bill was head boy.” Harry said as he sat in one of the chairs by the fire.

“Okay, bud, what do you need then?” Bill asked as he sat across from him.

Dora was feeling slightly off kilter from her brother not just asking her help so she picked him up off his chair and sat him in her lap. “Start at the beginning little brother.” She started when Kreacher popped in next to them.

“Here Kreacher” Harry said. “Keep this safe for me, mum won’t want me to have it.” Kreacher beamed as he took the wand from the boy.

Harry recounted his visit down to the chamber of secrets in a jumble of excitement, but the glaring problem, just an hour prior he hadn’t been able to see Professor Snape and right after he came up, he could.

“What were you thinking as you came up from the chamber of secrets Harry?” Bill asked.

“Well…I was thinking how I would never really know the true professor Snape, and then I thought that I could accept that.” Harry said.

“I want you to touch me Harry, alright?” Bill asked. When Harry left her lap Dora felt strangely bereft, she wasn’t usually this possessive of her younger sibling and she wondered why it was bothering her so much. “Can you see me?”

“No.” Harry said.

“Okay, who can you see again?” Bill asked.

“Mum, Dora, Dad, Caryle, Maimeo, Kettleburn, Percy, Ginny, Pomfrey, Fred, and Professor Snape.” Harry listed off.

“So, obviously the glaring issue here is why you can’t see George, what’s different?” Bill asked.

“Well…I dunno I think that Fred has accepted me as I am, and I accept that he’s sometimes mean and likes to prank people. George is still trying to figure out if they can fix me.” Harry explained.

“So…Fred has accepted you and you’ve accepted him. George has not accepted you. And professor Snape, has he accepted you? You’ve accepted him.” Dora said.

Harry shrugged “We could ask, but I don’t think he’d say.”

“Have you not accepted me Harry?” Bill asked.

“I just…I know you like cursebreaking and you’re really smart, but there are still things I want to know about you, I think those will come with time. But I accept how you are in my life.” Harry explained ringing his hands together.

“Try again” Bill urged and Harry reached out to take his hand. “Do you accept me as I am?”

“Yes.” Harry said. Dora watched her brother’s face light up. Dora looked at Bill in a new light. She knew that he was smart, beyond smart, but she hadn’t seen him like this with Harry since he’d first flown with them.

“So, you have to accept people. But I think first you either have to acknowledge the fact that there are things about them that you will never know or that your relationship will grow with time.” Bill explained.

“What about Kreacher?” Harry asked.

“You could try.” Bill said, Dora could hear the hesitation in his voice.

“Kreacher?” Harry reached out a hand.

oOo

Kreacher’s familiar knobby hand was in his and Harry took a moment.

‘Kreacher is kind, mean to others but overall has a good heart. He saved you, lives with people he doesn’t really understand to stay with you and watches over you. He’s different from you, he lives to serve and you may never quite understand why he did what he did, because while you would do the same thing it would be for different reasons, but you can accept that he has knowledge that you never will.’ He thought.

Harry gasped, he could see part of Kreacher. It was almost like Carlyle, duller somehow and he knew that Kreacher was a lot more powerful than Carlyle, then a surge so bright caused him to let go.

“Kreacher” He breathed. “You’re more powerful than anyone gives you credit for, I think I’ll need a damper on seeing you” He said with a slight laugh.

“The young master can see me!” Kreacher nearly squealed as he hugged Harry. “Kreacher be making young master Harry’s favorite dessert tonight, Kreacher will be forcing Andromeda out of the kitchens” then popped out.

Dora looked at the blank space the house elf left for a second before laughing. Bill started to laugh as well, and then Harry joined them.

“Thank you.” Harry said. “Thank you both.”

“Harry?” Dora asked.

“Yes Dora?”

“Can I talk with you alone for a second?”

“I’ll just go back to the bank then. Good to see you Harry, Tonks” Bill nodded at them each as he left via floo.

“I don’t know why, but I was feeling pretty irked for you inviting Bill.” Dora began. “I think that maybe I miss the time we spent together when you were younger, and we only have one more year before I leave Hogwarts.”

“Dora” Harry said as he hugged her “I only spend one meal a week with you ‘alone’, it used to be almost every day. I miss you as well. Maybe it’s like your first year here, I had trouble adjusting. But we can make more time together if you’d like”

“I’d like that little brother.” Dora said.

“Me too.”

oOo

Harry was on the quidditch pitch with Charlie and Oliver, Charlie was going over drills with the younger player, he was going to take over captaincy, the youngest next year and he was soaking up the information.

“Hey Harry” Cedric said. Harry hadn’t spent too much time with the older Hufflepuff.

“Hi Cedric.”

“Do you just listen to what they’re saying…or?” cedric asked awkwardly,

“Yeah I just listen. I can see magic so Ollie let me hold his broom for a second, and I’ve already felt Charlie’s. I can kinda imagine them zooming around.”

“Cool” Cedric said.

“Yeah.”

“Harry?” Charlie called out.

“What?”

“We were just wondering if you’d like to feel the snitch before we let it off.” Charlie said.

“Yeah!” Harry said excitedly and got up.

“Would you mind?” He asked Cedric, the quidditch pitch had very little magic involved so he couldn’t really see anything out there. Cedric grabbed his elbow and led him over to the two.

Someone put something in his hands and he felt fluttering against his fingers, he wondered if different snitches had different spells. He made sure to understand the signature before releasing it.

“Harry!” Oliver said.

“What?”

“You weren’t supposed to release it.” Charlie said.

“I’ll get it” Cedric said.

“Whose broom did he take?” Harry asked.

“Mine” Oliver said, not quite happy. “Holy hell, why is he in Hufflepuff? He’s a born seeker!”

Harry thought he understood the Hufflepuff better now, he was very nice and well liked but also more of an athlete than either him or Dora.

oOo

Ginny told Harry that Cedric was cute, he couldn’t tell himself. Cedric had been invited by the twins to the burrow, and the boy seemed to like the Weasley family. Carlyle called his sexual orientation pansexual because he didn’t prefer one gender just the soul.

Harry yelped in Ginny’s room. He’d found it, they were going through a pile of sticks that Ginny had collected since the last time he was there. “Ginny we have to go find Ron.” He said and had her lead him down the steps that he still had problems with.

“Ron!” He yelled into the yard where Ron, Charlie and Diggory were playing. The twins were up to something sneaky, Dora was busy with school.

“What is it Harry?” The boy said as he ran up to him.

“I’ve found it” He handed over a rather unimpressive log to the boy.

Charlie quickly realized something was up, he ran over with Cedric on his heels. He gasped. “Have you found it then Harry?” He asked.

“Found what?” Cedric asked.

“It’s Ron’s wand!” Harry was jumping up and down, as he tended to do when he got excited.

“That’s a log” Cedric said. Ron handed him the sketch. “That” he pointed to the sketch “Is in there?” Pointing towards the wand.

Everyone nodded.

“We’ll have to get Garrick to carve it, plus put in a core. I think unicorn hair, but I also have been looking into new cores as you know.”

“Yeah mate, we know.” Ron said with a smile.

Ginny had thought that Harry had forgotten her request for a wand years ago, but it seemed he took great care with these things, so she wasn’t that put out that he’d found Ron’s first.

oOo

Dora and he had decided that Sunday lunch was their time and so Dora took to taking him around, finding new foods at different restaurants. Today they were just at the Leaky.

“What do you think you’ll go into Dora?” Harry asked.

“I think I’m going to study healing. I think that Minerva would appreciate a fully trained healer at Hogwarts, don’t you?” She asked with a smile.

“How long does it take to become a certified healer?” Harry asked.

“Four years normally, but I think I may be able to accomplish it in three.” Dora said, knowing her brother was quite good with math.

“You could be at Hogwarts with me for my fourth year?” He asked excitedly.

“Yeah, I could.” Dora said.

Harry’s smile was absolutely huge.

“I love you Dora.”

“I love you too, little brother.”

oOo

They visited Ollivander’s shop for two reasons, one to figure out the cores in Harry’s wand and two to ask him to carve Ron’s.

“This is your wand my boy?” Ollivander asked Harry.

“Yes, it’s strange, Holly, ten inches, two dragon feather core.” Harry explained.

“Well, let’s start with the wood. Holly, your birth month ‘The Ruler’” Ollivander began “Holly is protective, Holly is very dependent on it’s core.”

“Yeah, there’s two feathers, when I asked Kettleburn he’d never heard of dragons with feathers.” Harry said.

“I believe…yes…I believe that this wand is quite old. Known by a name that may be familiar but make little sense. Dragons in the days of old bonded with powerful humans, and as such, did not need such thick skin. It wasn’t until humans started to attack them that they developed scales.” Ollivander paused. “I believe if you were to open this wand to view the cores one feather would be white, and one red.”

Three blank faces looked back at him.

“A powerful red dragon was bonded to Ambrosius Aurelianus, a white bonded to Vortigern. The two leaders fought and their dragons died, creating a rift between the races. These dragons bore the feathers for your core.” Ollivander said.

“And the wands name?” Andy asked.

“Excalibur” Ollivander said.

“The sword?” Ted asked.

“It would seem…” Ollivander said. “Now, this wand, what do you see?” Ollivander successfully diverted all questions on Harry’s wand.

oOo

That year Harry didn’t know anyone who was being sorted. The only names that stuck out were Cho, Eddie and Marcus, and that was mostly because they were right after one another, all going into Ravenclaw.

Divination this year, was his third year and the year associated with the OWLs, he wasn’t sure he was going to take them. He’d had private lessons with Trelawney and repeated the prophecy, he didn’t fancy doing so in front of a group of strangers, although the prophecy had already made it into the hall of prophecies.

Dora was in seventh year, and it was going to be really hectic for her, they’d already discussed making time for each other, and Maimeo had expressed her interest in a fully certified healer at the school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here we have another chapter. I’ve been getting a lot of questions on pairings. Sorry this has taken so long, I'm going through my final weeks at college and my grandparents have been having some medical issues. Hopefully you all like this chapter. 
> 
> I’m thinking the following are pretty definite  
> Bill/Dora
> 
> Then the following are options  
> Charlie/Carlyle, Carlyle/Kettleburn, Charlie/Kettleburn, Gemma/Carlyle, Harry/Fred, Harry/Percy, Harry/Oliver, Harry/Gemma, Harry/Cedric, Harry/Draco, Ginny/Cedric, Oliver/Percy, Penelope/Gemma, Penelope/Percy, Oliver/George, Cedric/Fred, Oliver/Ron, Ginny/Neville, Ginny/Dean
> 
> I don’t do three person pairings, I’m not against it, but I couldn’t do it justice because personally that would not be my choice in lifestyle.  
> Also I know that the ending is not usually where I would end it, but this Yule is nothing special, sorry all!


	8. 1991- Spring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is really short and I’m sorry, but the chapters hopefully will get more frequent soon. I’ve finished with my Bachelor’s degree and am pretty open this summer until I go to Grad school in August. 
> 
> Hogwarts Years, important to note:  
> Dora- 7  
> Charlie- 7  
> Gemma Farley- 5  
> Percy- 4  
> Oliver Wood-4  
> Penelope Clearwater- 4  
> George and Fred- 2  
> Cedric Diggory- 2
> 
> You'll notice each person only has one year, it's because we're only in one semester at a time.

Spring was upon them, Yule was rather uneventful, Carlyle had gone to buy a new colt and therefore wasn’t there, Maimeo had to be at some strange hearing that Harry didn’t understand, and Kettleburn had gone to a dragon reserve, which meant it was just the Tonks family at their house, and it felt a little strange.

Dora had pulled him aside before they went back though. “Harry, I have to tell you something.”

“What is it Dora?” His sister sounded worried.

“I…I think I like Bill.” Dora said.

Harry didn’t understand.

“Remember when I had a crush on Carlyle?” Dora asked.

“Yes.” Harry answered.

“I think I like Bill like that.” Dora said.

Harry smiled. “Really? Bill could be my big brother, for real?”

“You’re getting ahead of me here, little brother. He might not like me back.” Dora said.

“How could he not like you back, you’re awesome.”

Dora laughed. “Thanks for the booster little brother.”

Harry smiled, anything that made Dora happy was good.

“Do you like anyone, little brother? I think I started to like boys at your age.” Dora said.

Harry thought about it for a second. “I don’t really know what liking someone like mum likes dad means or feels like Dora.”

There was a pause and the only reason that Harry knew that Dora was thinking about it was because he was holding her hand and her magic was swirling around.

“Well…It kind of feels like butterflies in your stomach, or sometimes heat rushes to your face…or your heart does an almighty thud when you realize they’re near you.” Dora explained.

“Oh…That’s never happened to me. Do you think I’m broken?” Harry asked.

“No, you’re not broken little brother. You just probably haven’t met someone like that yet. Or you haven’t realized that you like someone in that way. Look how long I’ve known Bill and I’m just now realizing that he’s an amazing person that I’d like to try and be with.” Dora said.

Harry thought about that, they had known Bill for seven years now, if Dora just started to like him that way it could take that long for him to like someone that way too. “Thanks Dora.”

Dora huffed a breath, since Harry couldn’t see the small smile on her face she’d started to unconsciously make up for it in audio clues.

oOo

When they got back they got even further into Divination, Harry kept getting the same message when he touched the crystal ball until April fools. He had come in early seeing as the students were now stressing over the OWLs, Trelawney had placed him in front of a Rose quartz ball that she had ordered special, something about the energy being different. Apparently there were all manner of crystal balls out there, including: clear quartz, smoky quartz, black obsidian, rose quartz, citrine and amethyst. She had only the basic clear quartz for most of the students but was getting one of each type for Harry. The Rose quartz had arrived first.

Harry placed his hand on the ball only to hear something different. “The Tricksters fall upon the sun…Should one hold a feather… the other a cream…the tricksters fall upon the sun…their reign be gone with the new moon.”

Harry was gasping as he pulled back, while the Rose quartz seemed to channel less magic, a new prophecy was overwhelming at a good time. He had gotten used to the amount of magic that had come with the old one.

“That is strange” Trelawney said. “Tonight is a new moon, and the sun has not yet risen. It is strange that we would have such a prophecy on such a day.”

“Do you think I’m meant to do something about this one?” Harry asked.

“I…I do, which goes against most of my lessons. But for you to have a prophecy on the same day that fits the criteria…Do you know any tricksters?” Trelawney asked.

“The twins!” Harry shouted. “Tinky!”

“Tinky be coming for Master Harry.”

“Can you take me to the Weasley twins?” Harry asked. They were gone in the blink of an eye.

Harry had expected to end up in their dorm room, but instead he knew they were by the lake. He’d taken to not wearing shoes, which was semi-dangerous but allowed him to “see” almost everyone, usually they were just blank spots were magic should be, and he knew that was a person.

“Fred! George!” He called out.

“Harry, mate” George said. “I think you’ve deafened me!” He shouted. “I can’t hear a thing, can you Forge?”

“Gred, I can’t hear! I can’t hear” Fred joked. Harry reached out his hand in the direction of Fred, they hadn’t told anyone what the requirements for him to “see” them were, and so he still couldn’t see George.

Fred took his hand and Harry could see that something was in his hand “What are you holding?” He asked.

Fred started but answered. “A cream.”

“George what are you holding?” Harry asked.

“A feather, why?” George said.

“Whatever you two are planning, don’t do it.” Harry said with a serious tone.

“Why not? This is a great plan!” George defended.

“What’s the plan?” Harry asked.

“We made something called a canary cream, it turns the eater into a canary, we’re going to feed it to the squid and then smuggle him into the great hall.” George said proudly.

Harry started to go red from indignation. “You touch one tentacle on that squid and you will have me to deal with.”

If someone were to be spectating the event, they would see a bright red child, standing at about four feet tall with messy black hair yelling at two older teens, standing at about five foot seven and looking completely cowed.

“Alright mate” George said.

“We won’t touch him.” Fred finished, a rare occurrence around Harry, but it was habit. They usually tried to cater to him and speak in their own sentences.

oOo

Later that day it was found out and announced to the school that the giant squid had lain eggs that evening, apparently the assumed male squid was actually female. How she got impregnated, no one knew. But squids only lay eggs once in their lives, and luckily no one had used magic on the squid since she was impregnated because she would have lost them all.

Dora saw the twins looking at her brother strangely at dinner that night. She didn’t know why, but Harry had stayed for each meal. The twins were looking at Harry with their mouths hanging open, she made a note to ask him about it later.

oOo

Harry was sitting on the pitch enjoying the wind. Polo had gone to the herd, apparently he’d been able to sire a colt with the thestral Harry was very worried about it and so was Kettleburn but the herd would only allow Harry near them for so long and Kettleburn not at all. 

“Hey harry” Fred said as he nearly crash landed. Both the twins had made the team as beaters, that’s not to say they were necessarily good, but they were the best Gryffindor currently had to offer. Cedric was also on the Hufflepuff team as seeker. “Here” he said as he placed something in Harry’s hand. 

“What is it?” Harry asked.  

“Open it” Fred said, Harry could make out the sound of Oliver, George and Charlie in the background. 

Harry opened the small package to hear fluttering wings, he reached out to feel a snitch he was confused when he let go though. Reaching back out and holding the snitch in hand he felt something different about it.  

“I came up with it after Bill took George and me to the muggle train system” Fred said “there was a woman there, she was blond and she had this dog, you know. A guide dog and I knew you were struggling flying and so...it’s keyed to you and you can disable it with a word so it’s on hand”

Harry was busy studying the magic. 

“And the goblins made it cause Tonks said that you like their magic...and I did all of the spells and it should fit on your chain that you have the compass on, though that might get in the way…we might have to get another chain…it should avoid people, it still has those spells but it’s supposed to stay near you…” Fred rambled and probably would have kept on rambling except Harry engulfed him in a hug.

“Thank you Fred. You and George are brilliant.” Harry said.

“Oh…well…actually this one’s just me. I’m better with charms, George is better with potions.” Fred said.

“Well thank you. I know you guys like to work together on things like this.” Harry said with a large smile.

“It was no problem Harry. I’m hoping it works out. Do you want to try it out?” Fred asked hopefully.

“Actually, today is my day for lunch with Dora…I can’t miss it. I think it’s about that time. But I’ll try it out soon, you can bring me to the pitch when you have a spare minute.” Harry said.

“Oh…Okay…Have fun with Tonks then Harry!” Fred said in a fake cheery voice and went off. Harry was a little confused by his behavior but went inside to find Dora.

oOo

“Ready for lunch litter brother?” Dora asked.

“Yep” Harry said.

“Everything alright?” Dora asked.

“Yeah…no…I don’t know…Fred was acting weird.” Harry answered.

“What do you classify as weird for the twins? They were serious?” Dora asked jokingly.

“No he gave me this snitch to help me fly but then was weird when I said I had to go to lunch with you.” Harry said.

Dora raised an eyebrow. “Can I see?” She asked. Harry handed over the snitch, she was amazed at the spell work. “He made this for you?” Harry nodded. “What does it do?”

“It’s supposed to work like a seeing eye dog but for flying. It’s keyed to me, and avoids the other people on the pitch.” Harry answered.

Dora raised both eyebrows at that. It must have taken the twins a while and a lot of thought to make Harry this. “The twins are really clever” Dora said.

“It was actually just Fred for that.” Harry said.

“Oh.” Dora said a little startled. And then it started to make sense. “Ooooh!” she chuckled. “Don’t worry about it Harry, just make sure he’s there when you try it out.”

Harry nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…I think that Hogwarts Graduation will likely be sometime in June, they finish in June right? I will be writing that part up with Charlie and Dora, who will likely have a joint party, because why not? June is “summer” to me so that’s why it’s not in here. But if I do end up adding more to this chapter I will just change the months on the chapter name. :)  
> I’ve had a lot of feedback on pairings. 
> 
> So Bill/Dora is going to be in here, as I think you guys can see. Charlie/Carlyle will happen most likely. So, Kettleburn I think is actually really old, but I think of him around 30-35 in my story, so I’ll be putting him with someone.
> 
> I really like Harry/Fred right now but if you want to make an argument for someone else, feel free. I've just seen a lack of these stories. Someone said that Harry would need someone magically powerful and responsible, and I sort of agree but I also feel like Harry is so advanced himself he needs a little fun added in there. I dunno, let me know what y'all think. 
> 
> Then I’m thinking Gemma/Penelope, Ginny/Cedric, Oliver/Percy, George/Neville, Ron/Luna, Kettleburn/Remus, and Sirius/Severus  
> I have Hermione, Theo, Blaise, Pansy, Vincent, Milly, Gregory, Dean, Seamus, and most of Harry’s year unpaired other than the above listed. I’m not even sure those are finite yet, I just like those pairings for some reason. 
> 
> Again I love and appreciate your feedback, voice opinions tell me if you want to see something specific, I will try to see what I can work with. Also you may have noticed this was added to a collection, I don't really understand collections I have one of my work, but there's a story called "Crocodile Tears" and I highly recommend it, if you haven't seen it already. It's a WIP but so good.


	9. 1991- Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, six days since an update? Is this a record? Also, I know there could have been a flight scene with the Weasley gang, but honestly I just didn't feel like writing bickering...sorry.
> 
> Okay important- Dora and Charlie graduate, I am not putting school years in this because they haven't started the spring semester, once again there will only be one year in the top notes from here on, and I might end up breaking things down quite a bit more in Harry's year.

Harry’s OWLs in divination were quite difficult, his practical once again being much easier and less time consuming. They estimated three to four weeks for his results.

Dora on the other hand was basically frantic, her magic was constantly jumbled when she wasn’t in the exams and Harry knew that she was stressing about making it into the program of her choice. Harry for his part tried to offer levity, calm, and sometimes strength which he was unaccustomed to but also willing, and he found he actually quite liked it.

During the exams he had managed to borrow Dora’s broom, she insisted, and hesitantly knocked on the Fat Lady’s portrait.

“Harry!” Percy exclaimed when he opened the door. “Didn’t know you’d be around, what did you need? Did McGonagall send for me?”

Percy was usually quite calm so Harry was slightly confused by his rushed questions.

“Um. I was just looking for Fred.” Harry said, still trying to puzzle out the boy in front of him. He would say he was lucky for someone he knew to answer the door, but it was so strange.

“Whaddah ya need Harry?” George asked. Harry furrowed his brow. He could tell Percy had left, he still wasn’t wearing shoes, hoping it wouldn’t be a problem while flying.

“Is he alright?” Harry asked. “Wait…why is Percy in Gryffindor tower?”

George burst out laughing. “He’s dating the Gryffindor Prefect, that’s why he was so jumbled.”

“Oh.” Harry said. “Good for him.”

“So what of you need mate?” George asked.

“Well I was just looking for Fred.” Harry said uncertainly.

“Can I be of service?” George asked.

Harry cocked his head, Dora said to make sure that Fred was there when he tried it out…”No I think I need Fred, George. Sorry.” Harry still didn’t quite understand it himself.

“Well then, come in while I go get him. I think he’s in our room.” George pulled him by the arm into the common room.

oOo

“Fredrick” George said seriously walking into their room where his brother had been inordinately dull for the past couple of days.

“George” Fred said, looking at an advanced charms book, he really was good with charms but usually didn’t show it in class. George didn’t know why his brother had been slightly down, he was the only one to notice of course. Fred acted his usual cheery self, but it was something in George’s bones that told him it wasn’t right. Apparently he’d taken too long because Fred spoke next. “Did you need something?”

George smiled, don’t think for one second he didn’t realize his brothers crush. “Just a Hufflepuff looking for you in the common room” George said offhandedly. Fred didn’t react, perfect.

“Tell them to go away will you? I’m busy.” Fred said.

George smiled. “You sure? I think it’s important.”

“Nah tell them to go away.” Fred said, still looking at his book.

George smiled, slightly manically if anyone but Fred were to judge. “Hey Harry! Fred says-oomph” George was tackled to the ground in four words flat, his twins hand over his mouth.

“You said it was a Hufflepuff!” Fred whispered angrily.

George looked to Fred’s hand, still on his mouth. He would’ve licked it but Fred wouldn’t care, biting had the same affect, they knew each other too well for that. Fred hesitantly took his hand from his mouth. “Harry IS a Hufflepuff, pending official sorting” He said smugly.

Fred whacked him across the head for that before casting a refreshing charm on his clothes, not that it mattered…though…maybe Harry could see him better with it? George was still trying to figure out the whole eyesight thing. He was a little peeved that Fred could be seen and not him.

George chuckled as he watched Fred almost fall down the stairs in his haste.

oOo

Harry was just starting to get uncomfortable when he heard George call to him, but then he was cut off, must have been Fred. Harry could tell that people were staring at him, mostly the younger years who were a year older than him. He was really trying not to fidget but it was getting harder, people kept their curious glances up.

“Harry!” Fred said slightly out of breath. “What did you need?”

Harry smiled. “I was going to test out…” Harry didn’t know what Fred had called the invention, if he had called it anything. Him catching a snitch would be hard….he wondered…maybe? “I was going to test out the glitch, I figured you’d want to see it.”

Fred stood stock still for a moment, then his magical signature started to do something that Harry couldn’t really make out before it glowed, really glowed, Harry didn’t think he’d seen anyone that happy before.

“The glitch, I like it. We have to go grab my broom.” Fred said and grabbed Harry’s hand.

Fred let him lead the way, Harry knew. Fred knew just about as many secret passageways as himself. Well, him and George combined did.

“I put a chain on it, hope you don’t mind.” Harry said while leading them down a back staircase.

“Course not, that’s the intended use.” Fred said.

Harry smiled. “If it works, you have something special Fred.”

Harry thought he heard Fred mumble something under his breath but couldn’t make it out, and they were at the broom shed anyway.

“Alright, how do you want to do this?” Fred asked, taking his hand once again before leading him to the pitch.

“How’s flying usually taught?” Harry asked, scrunching his nose in thought.

“Well, usually we try to get control of the broom…but maybe we try it out together before you try it on your own?” Fred asked. “You can lead.”

Harry nodded and placed his broom on the ground. “You think your signature will cause problems with the snitch?” He tilted his head.

“Let’s hope not.” Fred said. “Else we’ll both be flattened to pancakes.” Harry laughed. “If it causes trouble you know the keyword, and I’ll take over handling.”

Harry nodded he held out his hand for Fred who took it quickly. “Behind me, left hand on my shoulder.” Harry specified, he’d probably need his right for mounting. “Up” He addressed the broom.

He climbed on, pretty much in sync with Fred, even though the boy boasted legs much longer than him. He took the snitch from under his robes “Volant” he said and the snitch was in front of him, through the Goblin made chain he could make it out, barely. He pushed off, and Fred jostled behind him.

“Not too high Harry.” Fred said while wrapping his arms around his waist. Harry nodded.

He leaned forward, Fred moving with him and they took off, the snitch was a volatile thing, tugging them left and Harry barely made the turn, he could tell Fred was almost ready to take over. The snitch pulled up, nearly off his head, and he saw a second design flaw, then down, nearly choking him.”Traham” he said. “Can you land Fred?” The older boy took control, and Harry was impressed, not many could maneuver a broom from behind another person.

Fred was conspicuously quiet when they landed.

“Fred?” Harry questioned. “It was a good first shot, obviously a few more spells need to be modified…and maybe an experienced flyer could take it up to show it the curves, or…”

Fred hugged him. “You’re brilliant you know? Hardly ever show it, just a few cases, but I bet any third year I ask couldn’t have thought of that. And no one gets it on their first shot, right? We’ll have it right as rain before the summers over.”

Harry smiled. “Thanks Fred.”

oOo

The graduation ceremony was strange for Harry. Being an apprentice allowed him a spot on the stage, but he chose instead to sit with his parents. He’d gone in early of course, but made the mistake of not wearing shoes, causing him to run out of the hall like his feet were on fire and run into Maimeo.

“What’s wrong Harry?”

“Too many…too many” Harry panted.

“Too many what?” Maimeo asked.

“Too many transfigured things!” Harry wailed. “I have to wear shoes. SHOES Maimeo!”

Maimeo laughed heartily. “Well then, let’s ask Kreacher to get you some shoes.”

He grumbled about the stupid pinchy shoes, but it was better than nearly falling over from all the transfigured chairs. Apparently too many transfigured things in one place was not good. He’d known from Dora’s first year that transfigured things never felt quite right, but this many in one space… Maimeo was careful to get a regular chair for him to sit on.

Of course there was lots of talking when the other parents and siblings got there, Harry was peacefully sitting in the front row, along with the other prefect’s parents and mum and dad.

Then Maimeo cast a sonorous “I would like to take a moment to congratulate our graduates, the Hogwarts class of 1991. This class year has seen some interesting developments to our curriculum that I believe they will have benefited one, and one of our very own Prefects has propositioned a new school position that I would never have thought of. We’ve had one of the youngest chasers, who will be moving on to join the Wigtown Wanderers. We have three other players, joining Puddlemore, Tutshell and Holyhead. We have four aspiring Aurors, two witch weekly writers, and much more. I must also announce, the highest average exam scores since 1945. Congratulations, we shall be handing out the degrees in the same order as you were sorted. After such, you will officially be Hogwarts Graduates”

Lots and lots of names were called, the most important being Penny Haywood, Nymphandora Tonks (to her chagrin) and Charlie Weasley. Harry clapped especially hard for them.

And then it was all over, and they were taking wizarding photographs and headed to Carlyle’s stables for the party.

This time though, when Carlyle tried to make a move on Bill, Dora stepped in, much to Harry’s amusement. But Carlyle wasn’t pouting for long, catching sight of Charlie, whom had according to Dora at least, really come into his own, and was most assuredly gay.

It was times like these that Harry really wished Polo could travel easily, but he couldn’t and he wondered if getting another pet would be rude. Though Polo was more the Thestrals than his at this point. He still did let Harry ride him, even Asher let him ride him. He wondered not for the first time of what the colt would look like, he was sure it was a colt, not a filly.

And then, before he knew it he was dragged into the pasture and swung around by various people, dancing madly to some muggle song. Until he was passed to Dora on a slow song, not for lack of other offers, but since Dora had sniped at them.

“I will miss you this year, little brother. Intensive training and studying starts in two weeks, enough time to see Ollivander but not much else” Dora said, voice heavy with sorrow.

“Don’t worry Dora, I’m sure we’ll see each other on holidays, and if you have a break then Maimeo will let you come to the office.” Harry said, though he was worried about Dora’s training as well.

Dora hugged him close as they swayed. She wasn’t that tall, Harry thought for the first time. He didn’t know how tall, of course, but she could currently rest her chin on his head, and she was full grown. “You think I’ll ever be taller than you Dora?”

She started at the seemingly random question. “Doesn’t matter, you’ll always be my little brother.”

oOo

Dora just barely had time to go to Ollivanders with the rest of her family. The wand had been dropped off to make sure it was safe for use, and Harry had found a couple more cores, along with woods. They laid them out and Dora looked wistfully through the stack of drawings that had been completed. Over fifty wands, including Ron’s, thirteen cores: Abraxen, American Thestral, British thestral, doxy, phoenix, unicorn tail, unicorn mane, wampus hair, snallygaster heartstring, Jackelope antlers, herribidean black, opaleye, and common green, most of them not working, and nine box designs.

She looked at their work and wondered if her career choice was right. She'd gotten O's in all of her subjects, something she never would have believed would have been possible, if not for Harry. Deciding that Harry hadn’t even fully considered actually making wands for a living, let alone actually needing the money, though he had sold twenty already, she knew that learning healing would help them.

oOo

Most of the summer was spent in anticipation of Hogwarts. Much to Fred’s distress he could not fine tune the glitch, although Harry kept glitch prototype one on him at all times. They’d gone through three more before Maimeo had decided that flying lessons for him would be one on one with Hooch in the summer.

He managed to get up in the air, even managing next to most of the Weasley crew under Hooch’s supervision, but he couldn’t move passed that for fear of collision.

They mail-ordered the books, because no matter how hard they tried, Dora could not find the time to meet them at Diagon, and Harry refused to go without his sister.

And then his birthday managed to be just family.

Harry found the idea of entering Hogwarts as a student both exhilarating and nerve-wracking and he hoped he could keep up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, who do you guys want Harry to ride the train with?
> 
> Ron and the third year Hufflepuffs. Fred, George, and Lee. Percy, Penelope, Oliver, and Angelina. Theo Nott, Pansy Parkinson and Ron. 
> 
> Open to other options. Kind of want to throw a slytherin first year that is not Draco Malfoy, I think Theo might be my best bet. 
> 
> Also, do you guys want this story to show some Dora POV, or should I make another one? Would anyone want to pick up that story line. I can do it, but I'm also writing like five other stories and more keep popping in my head every day (have you seen the plot nursery? Help!). Oh and do you want the full year list at the sorting? Would you appreciate Draco's POV of the sorting? 
> 
> As always I appreciate your feedback guys. 
> 
> One more thing, do you guys appreciate Chapter summaries? I've never done them, but I could if people have an interest in them. Idk if you find them helpful or not. Actually two more, if you guys do bookmark this and add tags I do go through periodically and add those so thanks to any of you who do that.


	10. 1991-September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was planning on more of a Fall-Spring-Summer split, but I wanted to get something out for you guys, so hence September. I hope this lives up to expectations, I'm forming some more concrete ideas on this, so that's good. Apologies for the wait, I might not be back till August on this one. :(
> 
> Harry and friends- 1st  
> Gemma- 6th  
> Percy, Penelope, Oliver- 5th  
> Fred, George, Lee, Cedric- 3rd

Harry went to Platform 9 ¾ for the first time as an official Hogwarts student. He felt slightly off about the whole thing. It may be due to the fact that they didn’t get there extremely early, or maybe because he planned to sit with Ron and not Percy. But mostly he believed it had to do with Dora not being there, not to mention Kreacher having to stay at the castle. This was the first year he would be staying overnight, and it was nerve wracking.

Cedric, whom he’d happened upon by chance took him to a compartment which was empty save for one student, who had his head stuck in a book.

Ron, he believed, would follow his brothers into Gryffindor. While Ron’s loyalty was one of his key attributes, making him stick by Harry for their childhood, he had some outdated views on Slytherins that would keep him from a Hufflepuff mindset.

“Mate?” Ron’s voice said.

“Hey Ron, come in” Harry answered.

Harry felt Ron take the seat beside him and he grabbed the boy’s hand. Being on the train was unnerving, while he had an okay sense of the general layout, it was still muggle made and he couldn’t see anything.

The train started to move just after Ron got on, which made Harry think that the Weasley’s were cutting it close, as always. He heard the occasional flipping of pages from the other bench and wondered who was sitting there before he heard the door slide open.

“Hello, mind if I sit in here?” A timid voice.

“Of course, not” Harry answered automatically. He heard luggage being stored above them and then the rustling of robes before it finally settled.

Then the boy yelled out “Hermione, in here!” The door opened and shut once more before the luggage storing was repeated and the rustling stopped. There was a thick silence settling over the group.

“Well…” Harry began “I’m Harry Tonks, and this is Ron Weasley.”

“Oh right,” the timid voice said. “Neville Longbottom.”

“Hermione Granger” A high pitched female voice said.

“Theodore Nott” a boy’s voice said as a book was shut harshly.

“So, any guesses on your house?” Harry asked.

“Slytherin” Theo managed “Or maybe Ravenclaw, but let’s hope for Slytherin for the sake of my father.”

“Ravenclaw” Hermione immediately butted in. “Knowledge is power.”

“I think Gran would prefer me to go to Gryffindor.” Neville said quietly.

“Nobody else’s opinion matters but your own.” Harry stated. “Hufflepuff.” He smiled proudly.

“Gryffindor.” Ron said easily.

“At least one from each house” Harry stated. “That must be good luck!”

He heard the door open once again “Harry?”

“Gemma!” Harry smiled. “I missed you, how was your summer?” He attempted to get up before tripping over something on the floor.

“Sorry!” Neville gushed. “Trevor, bad toad!”

Gemma laughed quietly as she picked Harry from the floor. “Alright Harry?” He nodded. “Summer was good…are we going to make a Slytherin of you this year?”

Harry laughed “The only potential Slytherin in this compartment is Theo.” Harry pointed vaguely in the direction he hoped the boy was in.

“Hi.” Theo said softly.

“Gemma, Gemma Farley, Slytherin Prefect fifth year.”

“Prefect?” Hermione asked.

“Prefects are usually the two top students of a house in a given year, though that’s not always the case. Behavior counts as well, and some that are book smart aren’t as good with people. There’s always a female and a male prefect for fifth to seventh year. Prefects are given extra responsibilities like patrolling the halls at night, making sure the firsties know where to go and that all of the kids are following the rules. Prefects have the ability to take away points from members of their own house, and can give out detentions.” Gemma explained.

“Congrats Gemma!” Harry said excitedly.                   

“Thanks Harry.” Gemma said. “Alright, I’m off to a prefect meeting, just wanted to say hi.” She hugged him and left.

“How do you know the upper years?” Theo asked.

“Our Harry is somewhat of a genius” Ron said.

The door clanged open at that point loudly.

“Harry!” Fred exclaimed. “Thought you might have missed the train mate!”

“Didn’t see you on the platform.” George continued.

“Were worried you went off to beauxbatons or something” Fred finished.

“I wouldn’t leave you two to your own devices” Harry smiled. He let go of Ron’s hand and held it out for Fred, but it was George who took his hand. “George?” Harry questioned.

“Just checking mate” George said quickly then let his hand go. Fred immediately grabbing the newly released appendage.

“We’re missing something” Hermione said.

“Most definitely” Theo agreed.

Fred took the empty seat next to Harry for a moment. “He’s blind, has the ability to see some magic, very rare and likely due to his blindness.” Fred explained.

Harry smiled.

“Blind?” Hermione asked. “Really?”

Harry nodded.

Neville was suspiciously quiet. “How?” he finally asked.

Harry knew about Neville, he assumed most purebloods did, but especially him. He didn’t want to bring this up, but Neville had asked. “Neville, I’m sorry.” He said sadly. “The cruciatus, and that’s all I’m going to say on it, ask McGonagall if you’d really like to know.”

Neville gasped. Fred held his hand harder. Ron threw an arm around his shoulders, quickly squeezed and then let go. Theo made a sort of “Ungh” sound and Hermione was the only one left in the dark.

“Well, we’re off to our own compartment” Fred said quietly.

“Find us if you need us” George finished quickly.

The trolley came around and Neville bought a round of sweets for the compartment as they settled into a less serious talk about Hogwarts.

oOo

The five kids exited the train, they were told to leave everything on the train and it would be taken to the caste for them.

“Firs’ Years! Firs’ Years! Over here!” Hagrid yelled, Harry smiled at the familiarity of it. “Hiya Harry!”

“Hey Hagrid.” Harry said. HE was not quite happy to be on the boats, much preferring the carriages, and quite frankly he wanted to see the Thestrals.

“Follow me!” Hagrid boomed. “No more than four to a boat.”

Ron stuck by him and they climbed in, followed by two others.

“Hermione, Theo and Neville are over there with another girl.” Ron said quietly.

Harry nodded. “Harry Tonks.” He said to whoever was in front of them.

“Ron Weasley.” He heard someone sneer.

“Pansy Parkinson.”

“Blaise Zabini”

They were silent, and then there were gasps as Harry felt the familiar thrum of the magic of Hogwarts. The boat was swaying in a suspicious manner, but with the reassuring magic he felt much better.

With Ron’s help he departed the boat quickly.

Sprout greeted them “The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.”

“The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.”

They walked into the great hall and Harry was grateful to have Ron as a friend. He kept hold of his hand as they went in. Ron whispered that Hermione and Neville had moved closer to them with the girl from their boat.

“Now I shall call your names, when your name is called please step forward, so I may set the hat upon your head” McGonagall said, and Harry was glad she was there.

“Abbott, Hannah” McGonagall said.

“That’s the girl that rode with Theo, Hermione and Neville” Ron said quietly.

“Hufflepuff” the hat called out

“Bones, Susan”

“Hufflepuff”

Harry tuned out, the hall was quiet. He wasn’t wearing shoes and there were a lot more dark spots than usual in the great hall. He started back into awareness when Hermione was called.

 “Ravenclaw”

‘Expected’ he thought as he waited, the next one he cared about was Neville.

 “Longbottom, Neville”

“Hufflepuff”

Harry smiled, he had at least one friendly voice in his dorms now.

 “Malfoy, Draco”

“Slytherin” The cheers were quite loud for this child and Harry wondered why. Now he was just waiting for Theodore, and then he’d be off.

 “Nott, Theodore”

“Slytherin”

“Parkinson, Pansy”

“Slytherin”

‘Hmmm, two Slytherins I met’ Harry thought idly.

 “Tonks, Harry” Harry heard the hall still. The clapping that had been left over from the last student died, and Ron, bless him, led him to the stool.

_Harry Tonks. I had wondered when I would get you. It seems as though your sister’s influence has reached your core_ “Hufflepuff”

The applause was deafening. “Harry I’ve got you” He heard Cedric say as he led the way over to the familiar table. “Good to have you mate”

 “Weasley, Ronald” Harry shushed his house mates.

“Gryffindor” Harry cheered along with the Gryffindors, and the entire Hufflepuff table joined in.

“Zabini, Blaise”

“Slytherin”

Harry sat at the feast and couldn’t help but miss his sister. He wished he were even a year older so that he could have been with her for one year. And now, his big sister was studying to be a healer. She’d be good at it. He knew. He wasn’t that talkative at the feast, sitting close to the second years and he was sure he came off a little badly, but he missed Dora and he hoped his housemates would understand.

When the Prefects went to bring the first years to their common room Harry was pulled aside by Cedric. “The Hufflepuff dorms open by a certain knock, then we climb through a tunnel. McGonagall wasn’t sure you could do that, so a house elf will take you.” Harry nodded.

“Tinky!” He called. “Take me to the Hufflepuff common room please?” the pull of apparition was quick and Tinky let him be.

He waited as the common room filled. “Welcome to the Hufflepuff common room” Harry recognized the voice of Kevin Sterndale, Head boy. “I’m Head boy Kevin Sterndale, my counterpart is Mary Slewyn, Slytherin. We have six prefects that you can go to if you have any trouble, however all house members will be willing to help in any way possible. Seventh year prefects are Nicolas Grimmet, and Cassandra Leon, sixth year are Jake Flinton and Samantha Peters, fifth year prefects are Jonathan Spratt and Jennifer Cole. Hufflepuffs are often underestimated and picked on” Kevin paused. “We stick together, house disagreements are only shown within the common room and we help whoever needs it, whether they be Slytherin or Gryffindor, old or young, we have house pride and we are known for kindness.”

“Do not disappoint, now Jonathan and I will show you to your dorms. We have five girls, and six boys, that’s a good turnout.” Jennifer said.

Harry was led to a room, it had six beds and there was a large table at the middle which he assumed was for homework. “Hi guys, I’m Harry Tonks, sorry I was less than friendly at the feast, I was missing my sister.”

“You’re related to the Tonks?” Someone asked.

Harry nodded.

“She was one of the smartest Hufflepuffs ever!” Neville remarked.

Harry smiled. “She is. By the way, I’m blind so if you guys could just shake my hand and tell me your name that would be inordinately helpful.”

“Neville Longbottom” now Harry had the magic to the name, seemed as though Neville was a very accepting person.

“Wayne Hopkins” Harry could also see him, was this a Hufflepuff trait?

“Ernest Macmillan” once again, magic flared before his eyes.

“Stephen Cornfoot” and again, acceptance and sight.

“Justin Finch-Fletchly” and here was the only one he couldn’t see, strange…

oOo

Harry was not used to such a busy schedule, he had a couple of free blocks but not a ton of time to see anyone. He took all his meals with the Hufflepuffs the first week, meeting Hannah, Susan, Megan, Lily, and Sally-Anne and learning about their muggle or wizarding families, all of the girls he was able to see within the first two days, leaving Justin as the only blank in his Hufflepuff peers.

oOo

First potions class "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word—like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed that little speech.

"Tonks!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

“Draught of the living death.”

“Tonks, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?”

“A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons.”

“What is the difference, Tonks, between monkshood and wolfsbane?”

“As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite.”

Harry didn’t know why Snape was singling him out in class.

“Now, many of you” Harry couldn’t see it but Snape was looking at the Ravenclaws “May believe that since Mr. Tonks is blind he is incapable of brewing a potion, or even knowing the instructions.”

Silence descended.

“Untrue. I have known Mr. Tonks from the young age of four, where he saved a student from an explosion in a class with over fifty children. Now if you feel you know more than him, or are better than him just because you can see, you are more idiotic than I first thought.”

And now Harry understood, the Hufflepuffs were welcoming, as were the older students. They all knew him and that he was a capable student. But the first years, they had no clue and Dora wasn’t there to instill order.

oOo

That Saturday most of the first years were sleeping in while Neville and Harry ate breakfast, all of the Hufflepuffs were used to his strange contraptions to get around his blindness.

“Would you like the paper Harry?” Neville asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on July 31, widely believed-_

The voice cut off harshly as Harry ripped babblesworth off of the paper. Harry started to hyperventilate before he felt Maimeo’s hand on his shoulder, “Come Harry, you have a visitor” she said. Bringing him up to the front table he was surprised by long fingers gripping his hand.

“Bogrod! Bogrod the vault, the vault,,,Gringotts” Harry yelled not really making sense.

“Calm down Harry.” Bogrod said. “We emptied that vault four years ago, when you first alerted us to it”

“Really?” Harry asked.

“Really.” Bogrod stated.

oOo

Many of the onlookers that day would wonder if it was still their sleep addled brains, a mass delusion, or an actual event that a goblin visited Hogwarts and stood on the teacher’s dais with young Harry Tonks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I' might add something with Andy yelling at Dumbledore's portrait, and Dora has to send her brother a letter, likely at the beginning of October because she's very busy. 
> 
> So I had a weird Idea...I'm debating that dumbledore's death was faked and that it was a golem, not sophisticated because he wasn't prepared for the issue of Harry to come up so soon, I'm thinking about him breaking out Grindelwald and possibly Tom being a good guy...thoughts?
> 
> Also pairings (? are uncertain). Carlyle/Charlie, Bill/Dora, Harry/Fred, Hermione/Theo, Neville/Ron?, Percy/Oliver?, George/Pansy?, Blaise/Luna?, Gemma/Penelope?, Ginny/Cedric?, George/Neville?, Ron/Luna?, Kettleburn/Remus?, Sirius/Severus?, Severus/Silvanus?, Sirius/OFC?, Remus/Regulas? (Yes he might be alive).


	11. 1991 October

“Harry” Neville said.

“Yes?” He asked, he was quite tired, traversing the castle as a whole was tedious, the first month had been a rush of class to class, plus explaining to the Hufflepuffs why he was taking divination, and then the Ravenclaws caught on and demanded answers, it was not pretty.

Harry had also managed to get close to Polo for a weekend and was introduced to his mare, when it was found that the thestral was pregnant in the Spring they were pretty sure conception was in the winter.

“Mail for you” Neville said.

Harry perked up, it might be from Dora! Neville handed him a package. “Probably wants a response, seeing as its not moving.” Neville stated.

Harry pulled babblesworth out quickly.

_Little Brother_

_I’m sorry to be writing so late, I can’t believe it’s already October! Would you believe I was lost down in the Creatures ward? Interesting sorts, creatures, higher pain tolerance, wonder if that translates to me?_

_Anyway I just wanted to say HA! To mum, in theory as I’m quite sure she might not see this. I knew you’d go into Hufflepuff. Charlie bet on Ravenclaw, I’ll have to get that Galleon._

_You must already know of the Break-in, which, would you believe, I didn’t hear about until a month later, seriously, a month. Oh and if you think that’s the worst of it, Bill has yet to have caught on to my less than subtle advances, any tips little brother? You know him best._

_Say hello to that twin of yours, and make sure to keep me updated on the status of the colt. Also, nothing new on the Trelawney front right? Just making sure my little brother is safe. Oh and tell Gemma that I don’t mind if she scares off the girls, though I’m sure your twin is doing a fine job on his own._

_Oh and by the way, my very late gift for making the Hufflepuff family officially is that very tiny little owl standing right in front of you. ‘Something off about her’ the shop owner said, and so I knew who she needed. Get it who?_

_Love_

_Dora_

Harry scrunched his nose. Who? What did she mean. He’d ask the twins later. Meanwhile he reached out towards the little bird and felt a peck on his finger. She hopped onto his arm, which happened to be bare because he’d rolled up his sleeves.

“Oh” Harry stated. “Something off about you indeed, Arke…” Harry said absently as he stroked the Owls wings. She couldn’t have been any smaller and have been trained in deliveries, though he’d bet she was deceptively strong. He’d find out her mystery soon enough.

oOo

The first problem of the school year was when he went to sit with Gemma for the first time. He was sitting quite peacefully at the Slytherin table while waiting for the rest of the school to show up. Gemma had filled his plate with food and he was just about to take a bite when he heard a sneer.

“What’s the mudblood doing at our table?” a high pitched but definitely male voice said.

“Ten points from Slytherin for derogatory language” Gemma said coolly from beside him.

“You can’t do that!” The voice screeched.

“I can, and I did. Now go sit down before I take more.” Gemma said.

“My father will be hearing about this!” The voice said before ambling off.

“Thanks Gemma.” Harry smiled.

“No-“ Gemma started.

“Mr. Tonks.” Oh, that was the voice of their defense professor. Qurranus Quirrel was supposed to be coming back this year to teach, but he’d never shown. Instead a low level Auror named Robbin Ralph had taken over. Harry hadn’t had any problems with the man so far, seeing as all they had done was theory but now he was hovering behind him. “Mr. Tonks, what are you doing sitting at the Slytherin table?”

“I was just sitting with my friend Professor Ralph.” Harry answered.

“Go back to Hufflepuff before I dock points.” Ralph said.

“Professor Ralph, houses are allowed to intermingle at meal times.” Gemma stated.

“Not when I attended” Ralph countered.

“Ralph” Maimeo’s voice came “What are you doing?”

“I was just asking Mr. Tonks to move to his house table Headmistress.” Ralph said.

“Students are allowed to intermingle at meal times, it allows for interhouse unity, not to mention the year difference which allows for a stronger bond within the school.” Maimeo said. “Go back to the head table.”

Harry heard Ralph shuffle off.

“Thanks Headmistress” Gemma said.

“Thank you Maimeo.” Harry smiled.

“No problem Harry.” Maimeo assured and then ruffled his hair.

oOo

The next day Harry sat at Gryffindor with the twins.

“Fred?” He asked.

“Yes Harry?”

“Dora sent me this letter and I don’t understand the last paragraph, will you read it?” Harry asked.

Fred grabbed the letter from his hand. “What don’t you understand?”

“She said, get it who?” Harry said. “Who what? I don’t understand.”

Fred didn’t answer for a moment. “What do owls say Harry?”

“What do you mean?”

“What noise do they make, mate?” George piped in.

“Hoot” Harry answered.

“Yes Owls go hoo, hoo” George said. “She wrote that, hoo not who.”

“What does that mean?” Harry asked “I know she wrote who.”

“No H-O-O, not W-H-O” Fred corrected.

“Oh.” Harry said, not fully understanding for a minute. “Oh!” He exclaimed, okay that made sense. “Thanks guys.”

oOo

Meanwhile somewhere in Germany.

A tall slim figure trudged up a steep inlcine, his white beard flowing in the wind, his white robes blending into the scenery. After many hours of climbing he reached the top where he saw a grim onyx fortress. An arch over the doorway read “For the Greater Good.” The wind seemed to rip right through his bones and the air was so thin he began to wheeze.

This is where Gellert had spent the last fifty years, this is where he had left his friend to rot, in hopes of becoming a savoir only to be overtaken in his role by a mere babe.

Things had gotten out of hand, very quickly and he only hoped that no one realized the truth of what happened after Andromeda had visited the ministry.

Now if he knew Gellert half as well as he thought he did it would take many months to break into the prison. The German magicals didn’t want to exert energy to guard him and no dementors haunted the area, so they had used Gellerts magic against him in holding him hostage. Food was spelled to show up three times a day, and Albus was looking to hone in on that spell without tipping anyone off to his presence there. It would be a long autumn, but it would be well worth it.

oOo

In Luxembourg.

It had been a tedious eleven years for Lord Voldemort’s waif. Wandering around, hopping from animal to animal. It was ridiculously hard to take control over their brains, mostly because they didn’t have any, or if they did it made little to no sense to the human brain. None of his followers had come to get him, which was the worst part. But he knew of one that he could trust, Severus Snape, the man who had done anything and everything to help him in his life.

Severus was a spy, for who he could never be certain, but he was the only one who could not have come looking when his supposed death had happened. Severus was the only one who would be walking in the sun like a free man and have the ability to help him. It was a humbling prospect, to need someone’s help. It was why he’d left things to Lucius and Bellatrix, he fully expected each of them to be in Azakaban or there would be hell to pay. Of course these thoughts took nearly six years to work into coherent sentences, and another three to influence the animals that hosted him enough to get them to move in the right direction.

Lord Voldemort barely knew the time that it had taken him to get from Albania to Luxembourg but he knew it had been a while. He was just hoping that nothing was too messed up upon his return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so its been nearly forever since I updated. Sorry about that and this one is short too. Ugh. I've been doing some really intense stuff in real life, so this and all of my other works have not even entered my brain in a very long time. I decided to sit down and procrastinate with some of this, but I can't promise for steady updates. 
> 
> So I have this a little mapped out now, there will be an OC coming in probably around Harry's second year, you can probably figure out more about her if you read some of the comments. If you really want to know I will put it in the next update, and maybe have some of you help with her image. And/or if you have traits or physical aspects that you would like to see, feel free to comment them. She has nothing but a name, which I suppose wouldn't hurt to give you. May Magnolia Richards, the Richards Family is two muggleborn parents, if that's helpful. She's approx 24. Yep that's all I'm gonna give you. 
> 
> So yeah, what do you guys wanna see first year for Harry? I have the later plot planned, as per usual and not the beginning. I'm figuring I'll put some Dora/Bill and Carlyle/Charlie in the next couple of chapters.


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